MICHIGAN, USA — Georgia parents, along with their teen who was shot during the deadly Apalachee High School shooting, shared their emotional story during the "Unite for America" event hosted by Oprah Winfrey on Thursday night in Michigan.
The event garnered hundreds of thousands of viewers. It featured remarks from Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic presidential nominee, as part of her strategy to reach voters in battleground states before the November election.
Natalie Griffith, a student who was shot during the Sept. 4 attack, spoke alongside her parents about the traumatic experience. She recounted how she was shot in the shoulder and wrist when a fellow student allegedly opened fire, killing two teachers and two students.
“We hadn’t had an intruder drill yet,” Griffith said. “We weren’t even completely sure where to go in the classroom. I remember being cuddled together.”
Her mother, Marilda Griffith, shared the anguish of learning about the shooting while at work and rushing to the school.
“No parent should go through this,” she said tearfully, adding later, “I can actually hug my child, but other mothers lost theirs. We have to make a change.”
Doug Griffith, Natalie’s father, called for practical, "common sense" safety measures, such as installing metal detectors in schools.
“If a child knew they would get caught, the likelihood of them trying would be less,” he said.
The shooter, 14-year-old Colt Gray, is facing four counts of felony murder with additional charges expected. The victims were identified as teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, along with students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14.
The Griffith family's testimony is part of a growing call for reform, with Marilda urging lawmakers to act. “We can’t just hear about these tragedies—we need to stop them,” she said.