In a heartbreaking and deeply troubling turn of events, the father of the 14-year-old alleged gunman responsible for the horrific mass shooting at Apalachee High School in northern Georgia has been arrested. Colin Gray, 54, now faces a slew of 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 arrest follows the deadly actions of his son, Colt Gray, who is accused of killing four people in the massacre that shook the community to its core.
The charges against Colin Gray come after it was revealed that he had purchased the AR-15-style rifle that Colt allegedly used in the attack, giving it to his son as a Christmas gift just last December. This shocking detail has raised serious questions about parental responsibility and the tragic consequences of allowing children access to dangerous weapons.
“These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon,” GBI Director Chris Hosey stated during a press conference. The director did not provide further details but emphasized the severity of the situation.
This tragedy is further compounded by the fact that just seven months ago, law enforcement had visited the Gray household following tips received by the FBI about online threats Colt had allegedly made regarding a school shooting. Despite these alarming warnings and photos of guns posted online, Colin Gray assured authorities that while there were hunting guns in the home, Colt did not have unsupervised access to them. It’s now painfully clear that these assurances were tragically misguided.
On the morning of the shooting, Colt Gray allegedly opened fire at Apalachee High School, killing two students—14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo—and two beloved math teachers, Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53. Aspinwall also served as an assistant football coach, making his loss particularly devastating to the school community. Nine others, including seven students and two teachers, were injured in the attack. Thankfully, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith has since confirmed that all those injured are expected to make a full recovery, with some already released from the hospital.
“We met with them today. Emotions are very high, obviously, but we told them that we love them,” Sheriff Smith said. “We love our teachers and what they do, and we’re very happy that they stood in the gap between evil to protect their children.”
Colt Gray, who surrendered to school resource officers immediately following the shooting, now faces four counts of felony murder on top of the initial murder charges filed against him. The GBI’s investigation is ongoing, with Director Hosey stating, “We will continue to work tirelessly to complete this investigation as we move forward. We have a long way to go before it’s finished.”
As more details emerge, it’s become evident that Colt’s troubled upbringing played a significant role in this tragedy. He came from a broken home, where he and his sister were reportedly abused by their mother, Marcee Gray, who has a lengthy criminal history including arrests for drug possession, DUI, and domestic violence. Former neighbors have described the Gray children as neglected, often seen wearing dirty clothes and appearing hungry.
Colt’s aunt, Annie Brown, revealed that her nephew had been struggling with mental health issues and had been “begging for help from everybody around him” before the tragic events unfolded. It’s a sobering reminder that the combination of untreated mental health issues and easy access to firearms can have devastating consequences.
This horrific incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of responsible gun ownership, parental vigilance, and the need for early intervention in the lives of troubled youth. The Apalachee High School shooting is a tragedy that could—and should—have been prevented.
