The father of the 14-year-old boy accused of opening fire at Apalachee High School in Winder and killing four people on Wednesday was arrested Thursday and charged with murder for allegedly allowing his son to possess a gun.
Colin Gray, 54, has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
His son has been charged with four counts of murder.
The 14-year-old was known to the FBI at least a year prior to this week’s tragedy. Back in May 2023, the agency sent Jackson County police officials out to investigate the then-13-year-old after receiving tips about online posts alluding to shooting at school, according to the FBI.
At the time, investigators did not have enough evidence to make an arrest.
“The Jackson County Sheriffs’ Office located a possible suspect, a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father,” the statement reads. “The subject denied making threats online. Jackson County alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject.”
Now, 16 months later and just weeks after the start of the school year, the teen is charged with murdering two of his classmates — Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14 — and two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.
At least nine other people were injured in what is the nation’s 385th mass shooting this year.
According to the GBI, the teen used an AR-style rifle to shoot students and faculty outside his algebra class early Wednesday morning. Local police apprehended the suspect at 10:26 a.m., “moments after” receiving an alert that shots were fired.
The teen appeared for his first bond hearing Friday morning at the Barrow County Superior Court, just 45 miles outside of Atlanta. He is currently being held at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center and being charged with four counts of murder. If convicted, he could potentially face the death penalty or a maximum sentence of life without the chance of parole.
He will also be tried as an adult. Details about a potential motive are beginning to emerge as officials look for answers.
In a transcript report obtained by The New York Times, Gray told Jackson County officers last year that he was actively teaching his son about firearms and the outdoors to divert him from video games. He also stated that, at that time, the youth was actively being bullied by classmates.
“He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them,” Gray told an investigator, according to the transcript.
A tragedy that hits close to home
Atlanta parents are paying close attention to how their districts are responding to the shooting. Chanelle Evans, a Fulton County schools parent, told Capital B Atlanta on Thursday that she found comfort in the notification the district sent the day prior, which read “the safety and well-being of our students remain our highest priority.”
“It was like a relief for me,” said Evans, whose daughter attends Cliftondale Elementary in College Park. “It’s heartbreaking to think how parents dropped their kids off at school yesterday and had no idea that that could have been the last time they saw them alive.”
Jessicka Powell, another Cliftondale parent, echoed Evans’ sentiments, adding that it’s unfair for children to be afraid in places where they should feel liberated and excited.
“It’s just so scary to be a child these days,” Powell said. “I’m always on guard when it comes to knowing how my district plans to keep my child safe in moments like this.”
Gwinnett County Public Schools Superintendent Calvin Watts said the district has received numerous communications from stakeholders, given the district’s proximity to Barrow County.
“Please know that Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) is unwavering in its commitment to the safety and well-being of all our students and staff,” Watts said in a statement. “As a parent, I understand your concerns and fears.”
Remembering the victims
Barrow County Schools remain closed today as loved ones mourn the Apalachee shooting victims.
Schermerhorn was described as “the sweetest most loving soul with the biggest smile,” according to a fundraising post created by Artisea Bethea, a friend of the family.
“Please keep this sweet family in your prayers,” she wrote.
A fundraising post created by Angulo’s older sister, Lisette, described him as a “very good kid” who was sweet and caring.
“He was so loved by many. His loss was so sudden and unexpected,” she wrote. “We are truly heartbroken … He really didn’t deserve this.”
Donations for the victims have collectively surpassed $600,000 just two days after the shooting. If you are interested, you can connect to the platforms here.
