Survivors of Apalachee High School shooting released from hospital

WINDER, Georgia (Atlanta News First) – In the blink of an eye, Melany Garcia’s life changed forever.

“As far as I know, she had two operations on her arm for the wound,” said Maria Solorzano, Melany’s grandmother.

She was one of the survivors of the September 4 massacre at Apalachee High School.

“When something like this happens, it’s so easy to be angry or judge,” Solorzano said. “With the current situation, it’s really hard to say because the school probably tried to handle it as best as they could.”

The grandmother says the 15-year-old had just been released from the hospital and was left with both physical and emotional scars.

“She is being as quiet as possible. We are trying not to talk about what happened,” Solorzano said.

Doug Griffith said his daughter Natalie would be released from the hospital on Monday.

“She was in pain and it’s hard to watch. It’s hard to watch your child suffer,” Griffith said.

Griffith was shot in the arm and wrist. Doug Griffith recounted what his daughter remembered just before she was hit.

“I heard one shot and then the next ones were from her,” he said.

The ninth-grader’s father said the Griffiths are praying not only for their daughter, but for all the victims.

“Natalie was just a happy person. Her spirit is not broken – there’s no doubt about that,” Griffith said.

Online fundraising campaigns have been set up for Melany And for Natalie to help them with their medical expenses.

In numbers

According to the Gun Violence Archive, the following incidents have occurred in Georgia schools since 2022:

• 97 incidents involving firearms
• Five deaths from firearms
• 17 gunshot wounds
• 72 arrests for weapons incidents

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