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Georgia School Shooter’s Father Arrested, Faces Murder Charges [WATCH]

Posted By RVM News Staff On In Law Enforcement,News | 2 Comments

The father of Colt Gray, the 14-year-old accused of carrying out a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in northern Georgia, was arrested [1] on Thursday, law enforcement officials announced.

Colin Gray, 54, faces multiple charges, including four counts of manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

The charges come a day after Colt Gray was charged with murder for the deadly school shooting that left four people dead and nine others injured.

GBI Director Chris Hosey stated that the charges against Colin Gray are related to his decision to allow his son to possess the weapon allegedly used in the shooting.

Sources revealed that the AR-15-style rifle was given to Colt as a Christmas gift in December 2023. “These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon,” Hosey said during a press conference.

The shooting, which occurred on Wednesday morning, claimed the lives of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School.

The victims were identified as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and math teachers Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53. Aspinwall also served as an assistant football coach at the school.

Colt Gray was taken into custody after he surrendered to school resource officers on the scene. Initially charged with murder, the teenager now faces four counts of felony murder, GBI officials announced on Thursday.

The nine individuals injured in the attack, including seven students and two teachers, were transported to local hospitals for treatment.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith provided an update on their conditions during a Thursday evening press conference, stating that all of the injured victims are expected to make a full recovery. “Emotions are very high, obviously, but we told them that we love them,” Smith said. “We love our teachers and what they do, and we’re very happy at the fact that they stood in the gap between evil to protect their children.”

Image Credit: © Joshua Jones/Athens Banner-Herald / USA TODAY NETWORK [5]
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith speaks to media outside Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia on Sept. 4, 2024. The school was the scene of a deadly shooting.

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and officials acknowledged that there is still significant work to be done. “We will continue to work tirelessly to complete this investigation as we move forward,” Hosey said.

The case has drawn attention to the family background of the alleged shooter. According to reports, Colt Gray grew up in a troubled household. A former neighbor and landlord told The New York Post that Colt and his sister were frequently abused by their mother, Marcee Gray, who has a history of arrests for drug possession, driving under the influence, and domestic violence. The children were reportedly often seen wearing dirty clothes and appeared to be hungry.

Colt’s aunt, Annie Brown, also spoke to the media, telling the Washington Post that her nephew had been struggling with mental health issues and had been “begging for help from everybody around him” before the tragic incident took place.

This is not the first time the family had come under the scrutiny of law enforcement. In 2023, the FBI received tips about online threats made by Colt involving school shootings, and law enforcement visited the Gray home.

Colin Gray assured authorities at the time that his son did not have unsupervised access to firearms, and Colt denied making the threats. Despite this, the AR-15-style rifle was later given to Colt as a gift.

As the investigation continues, the GBI urged communities across Georgia to encourage students to report any suspicious behavior they observe. “We encourage students across this state to contact a member of their school faculty with any and all concerns of suspicious behavior that they may see,” the GBI stated.

The shooting has also reignited discussions about school security. The quick response by a School Resource Officer, who confronted Colt during the attack, is being credited [6] with preventing further casualties. “The good guy with a gun” narrative has once again been highlighted, as the deputy’s actions likely saved more lives during the tragic event.

Both father and son are now facing serious charges as the community of Barrow County grapples with the aftermath of this horrific school shooting.