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Apalachee High School shooting victim says she is excited to head back to school

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Published  September 22, 2024 10:29pm EDT
Apalachee High School shooting
FOX 5 Atlanta

Apalachee HS shooting victim ready to go back

Natalie Griffith, who was one of the students who was shot at Apalachee High School during a mass shooting, says that she is ready to go back to class and go back to a normal life.

In Brief

    • Natalie Griffith, injured in the Apalachee shooting, is eager to return to school and marching band.
    • She initially thought the gunfire was a locker noise before realizing she was shot.
    • Natalie met with Vice President Harris as her family advocates for preventing future shootings.
    • The Griffith family is grateful for the community's prayers and support during her recovery.

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - We're hearing from one of the vicitms of the Apalachee school shooting after she and her family spoke one on one with Vice President Kamala Harris this week.

15-year-old Natalie Griffith says she's excited to head back to school at Apalachee this week.

"I want to get back to marching band and doing band and I want to get back to my life," Natalie said.

"I'm really good. sure it's like I can't crochet, I can't play my flute but I'm still going to do the stuff I like," she added.

Natalie is one of the 9 people injured when deputies say 14-year-old old Colt Gray opened fire at Apalachee High School on Sept. 4. Two students and two teachers were killed. Natalie was in math class when she heard gunfire.

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"I did not know it was a gunshot and I was thinking at first I thought it was a bang on one of the lockers and I thought it was a fight. And then the next thing I just heard like bop bop and then the next thing I know I'm looking down and my hands bloody and it feels like numb," Natalie said.

Medics rushed her to the hospital. She was shot in her arm wrist and chest. She said she was shot from behind.

"The next thing I know, I'm looking at my classroom and there's blood everywhere," she explained.

Natalie said she knew the two students who lost their lives.

"Christian and I used to ride the bus together in the back and Mason I was in elementary school classes with him. He loved everybody. He really was a sweet kid and so was Christian," she explained.

Last week, Natalie and her parents traveled to Michigan to take part in a town hall with Oprah and Vice President Kamala Harris. Harris also met privately with the family. Natalie's mom, Marilda, is adamant about fighting for change to prevent shootings like this from happening.

"I want to bring the awareness and make sure everybody is listening and let's do everything we can to stop it," Marilda Griffith said.

Through it all, the Griffiths say the support from the community has been getting them through, many joining the family in prayer Sunday as well as sending donations and visiting Natalie while she was in the hopsital.

"I've been really thankful and it reminded me of just how much of a community it is," Natalie said.

There are still several active GoFundMe accounts for all of the victims of this school shooting.