Apalachee High School defensive coordinator Ricky Aspinwall killed in Georgia school shooting

The horrific tragedy that struck an Atlanta-area Georgia high school Wednesday has extended into the coaching community.

Apalachee High School Defensive Coordinator Ricky Aspinwall was among the four people slain by a 14-year-old school shooter Wednesday morning at the high school just northeast of downtown Atlanta.

Officials confirmed Aspinwall as one of the four people killed in the rampage, which also saw nine additional victims injured.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation confirmed late Wednesday that Aspinwall was among the victims of the shooting by Colt Gray, who has been apprehended and whom authorities have publicly stated would be tried as an adult on murder charges.

Aspinwall had joined the Apalachee staff prior to the 2023 season, and the 39-year-old also taught math in the school in Winder, Georgia, approximately 45 miles from downtown Atlanta.

Aspinwall is survived by his wife, Shayna, and two daughters both under the ages of 6.

He previously had coached at Mountain View High School and Dunwoody High School in the Atlanta suburbs prior to his arrival at Apalachee, which has cancelled classes for the remainder of the week and also offered counseling services for those impacted by the shooting -- at least the 12th mass shooting in the state of Georgia just in 2024, per the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

In 2022, Aspinwall was recognized as Mountain View High School's most valuable 

assistant coach, earning the Tally Johnson Award.

Already, people have organized a GoFundMe account to assist Aspinwall's widow, Shayna, with the upcoming funeral expenses as well as to help the family move forward following the loss of their husband and father.