The recent and long-lasting pain of violence has been taking a toll on Atlanta. From the school shootings to gang violence, Atlanta has been hurting. There were at least 428 shootings in the United States this past year, according to Teachers College, Columbia University. One of the deadliest of 2024 was the Sept. 4 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, less than an hour away from Atlanta. In this tragedy, there were nine people physically harmed, and four people passed away. The incident was shocking, alarming, and devastating. Parents around the U.S. are outraged, but local parents are even more mortified.