In a devastating event that has rocked the community of Winder, Georgia, 14-year-old Colt Gray opened fire at Apalachee High School, killing four people and wounding nine others. What makes this tragedy even more heartbreaking are the troubling details that have emerged about Colt’s upbringing and family background.
His mother, with a history marred by domestic violence, drug use, and fraud, had been sentenced to jail time just last December. Meanwhile, his father, Colin Gray, now stands accused of playing a direct role in enabling the attack.
On Thursday, Colin Gray, 54, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and cruelty to children. Authorities say he purchased the AR-15-style rifle used in the shooting as a Christmas gift for his son. The weapon, which Colt reportedly used to carry out the attack, was given to him despite a previous investigation that linked the boy to online threats about a potential school shooting. According to officials, Colt had been interviewed just months earlier after a tip from the FBI suggested he might have threatened to “shoot up a middle school” on the gaming platform Discord.
#WATCH : Gray’s father, Colin Gray, appeared a short time later, dressed in striped gray jail attire and handcuffed and shackled as well.
Asked to state his name, Colin Gray replied in a hoarse voice, so quietly that the judge ordered him to speak more loudly into a microphone.… pic.twitter.com/4qDoDGKET0
— upuknews (@upuknews1) September 6, 2024
Though Colt denied making the threats, the warning signs were there. However, at the time, law enforcement didn’t have enough evidence to act. Now, in the aftermath of the shooting, many are questioning whether more could have been done to prevent this tragedy.
Colt’s arrest came swiftly after the shooting, with the young suspect reportedly admitting to the crime as soon as he was read his Miranda rights. The teen is now facing four counts of felony murder for the attack that left two students and two teachers dead. Authorities have made it clear that Colt will be treated as an adult in the legal proceedings, a move that underscores the gravity of the charges he faces.
Meanwhile, Colin Gray’s legal troubles are far from over. In his court appearance on Friday, a judge informed him that he could face up to 180 years in prison if convicted on all charges. The father’s decision to give his son a dangerous weapon, especially in light of the earlier FBI investigation, has sparked outrage. District Attorney Brad Smith has not ruled out the possibility of additional charges against Colin as the investigation continues, nor has he ruled out further charges for Colt, particularly for the nine victims who survived the attack.
Colin Gray, the father of the Apalachee High School shooter, is facing up to 180 years in prison for giving his son the semiautomatic rifle he used to kill four people this week. pic.twitter.com/igxQWTiEAj
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) September 6, 2024
Despite Georgia’s lack of a minimum age for rifle possession, the state prohibits minors from owning handguns, which has led to a fierce debate over gun laws and parental responsibility. The fact that a 14-year-old could obtain such a powerful weapon, combined with a history of concerning behavior, has intensified calls for stricter regulations.
This tragedy is not the first time the Gray family has been under scrutiny. Reports show that Colt’s parents were in the midst of a bitter divorce at the time of the shooting. His mother took custody of two other children, while Colt remained with his father. The stress of the family’s situation, combined with the access to a deadly weapon, seems to have created a perfect storm for disaster.
As investigators dig deeper into the family’s history and the circumstances surrounding the shooting, many are left wondering how such a horrific event could have been avoided. With multiple lives lost and a community forever scarred, the Apalachee High School shooting is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of unchecked violence and gun access.
