Two Barrow County sheriff’s deputies who serve as SROs at Apalachee High School were guests earlier this week when Gov. Brian Kemp delivered his state of the state address before a joint meeting of the State House and Senate.
Deputy Brandon King and Sgt. Chase Boyd have been credited with stopping the mass shooting that occurred in September taking the lives of two students and two teachers and the wounding of several others. They confronted the shooter in a hallway and ordered him to stop shooting and drop his weapon, which he did.
During his speech, Kemp acknowledged their “heroism and swift action which saved uncountable lives on September 4, 2024, during the Apalachee shooting.” The governor praised their “bravery and dedication,” highlighting their “exemplary response in a moment of crisis.”
Their presence was met with a standing ovation from the assembly, “a gesture of gratitude from the community and its leaders,” according to the governor’s office.
In the aftermath of the incident, both officers have become advocates for enhanced training programs and community engagement initiatives, aimed at fostering stronger relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Their efforts have already begun to inspire “positive change, encouraging dialogue and cooperation not only in Georgia but also throughout the nation,” the governor noted.
(Pictured: Gov. Kemp, back to camera, greets the two deputies.)