Newswise — A 14-year-old has been charged in the death of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Georgia. Nine others were injured. 

According to police, the suspect allegedly fired shots outside his algebra classroom on Wednesday using an assault-style rifle.

This tragedy is the latest among school shootings across the United States in recent years. 

"My heart goes out to the victims of the high school shooting in Georgia,” said Adnan Hyder, professor of Global Health at the George Washington University Milken Institute of Global Health. I am also very upset as these are preventable and predictable events. Gun violence is directly related to the availability and access to guns and we must question the role of AR style weapons being freely available in our society. “This is a truly global public health issue for which we have just launched a Lancet Commission to collate the best scientific evidence to inform policy and action."

Adnan Hyder announced this week he will chair to study gun violence as a complex public health threat.

The commission, composed of international experts, will measure the mortality and morbidity burden, assess economic impacts, gather evidence on interventions that mitigate the health consequences of guns, analyze the influence of international gun policies and identify key threats to controlling the health consequences of guns worldwide.

If you would like to schedule an interview with Adnan Hyder, please contact Katelyn Deckelbaum, [email protected]

-GW-