Angulo family reflects on loss as Apalachee High School begins new year
Christian Angulo's family speaks for the first time
For the first time we’re speaking with the family of Christian Angulo, one of the victims of the Apalachee High School shooting as students returned there Friday for a new year with new security measures.
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - Christian Angulo's brother says he is encouraged by the new security features installed at Apalachee High School for the new school year.
Ismael Angulo says his brother was a "silly, funny" kid and a good brother and son to his family. He says no other family should have to experience the terrible loss his family is going through.
That’s why, with the help of an attorney, the Angulo family is investigating potential legal action and hopes it will prompt the Barrow County School district to continue to look at ways to make schools safer there.
For the first time, we’re speaking with the family of Christian Angulo, one of the victims of the Apalachee High School shooting, as students returned there Friday for a new year with new security measures.
Christian Angulo (FOX 5 Atlanta obtained permission from the rights holder)
Life without Christian Angulo
What they're saying:
Ismael Angulo Jr. says every day without his brother is surreal.
"We’re living in a nightmare, honestly. That’s the only way I can explain it. No matter how many times you wake up it's the same, it's reality and it hurts to accept it," Angulo said.
Students returned to Apalachee High on Friday for the new school year.
Angulo says his younger sister is among those returning.
"Me personally, I wouldn't want her to go to that school. But she wants to go there and she wants to graduate in honor of my little brother," he said.
Angulo is encouraged by the new security features Barrow County Schools has installed.
Including weapon detection systems at the doors, high quality school maps for law enforcement, new classroom phones and new alert systems.
"We think it’s the right steps towards the right direction. We do feel like more can be done," Angulo said.
Apalachee High School shooting
The backstory:
Angulo’s brother, Christian Angulo, who was 14 years old at the time, was one of the four victims in the Sept. 4, 2024, school shooting.
"He liked to be silly. He was a funny kid. He liked to joke around. He was very helpful, loving, like he was a good uncle to my nephew. He was a good brother and good son," Angulo said.
Christian Angulo (FOX 5 Atlanta obtained permission from the rights holder)
Angulo family exploring legal actions
What's next:
"They want every single possible thing to be done. They've still got a daughter in school there, and all of Christian's friends are still in school there and they want them to be safe," said attorney Andy Rogers with law firm Deitch and Rogers.
The firm specializes in representing victims of crime.
Rogers is representing the Angulo family and helping them investigate potential civil lawsuits.
He says these new measures shouldn’t be the end of the conversation about Barrow County’s efforts to make schools safer, but rather the beginning.
"It's not the time to stop talking about it….we don't have the luxury of pretending like these things don't happen in our in our area, in our community," Rogers said.
Angulo says they’re not going to stop pushing for schools to be safer.
Because he says no one else should have to feel what his family feels now.
"The void that we feel for my little brother is, I wouldn’t wish it on anybody…. we are fighting behind the scenes to push for better school safety for kids and the teachers," Angulo said.
The Source: FOX 5's Eric Mock spoke with Ismael Angulo, the brother of Christian Angulo, for this article. Previous FOX 5 Atlanta reports were also used.