The father of a 14-year-old boy, accused of a tragic shooting that left four individuals dead at a high school in Georgia, has been arrested, raising serious questions about parental responsibility in firearm access.
Colin Gray, age 54, has been charged with multiple offenses including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children, as confirmed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).
Authorities have also charged Gray’s son, Colt Gray, with four counts of murder, announcing intentions to prosecute him as an adult. The shooting, which occurred at Apalachee High School in Winder, tragically resulted in the deaths of two teachers and two students, with nine others sustaining injuries.
“These charges arise from allowing his son Colton to possess a weapon,” stated GBI Director Chris Hosey during a press conference. He assured the public that investigators will “work tirelessly to complete this investigation as we move forward.”
Investigations are ongoing regarding whether the AR-style weapon utilized in the attack was acquired as a Christmas gift for Colt Gray in December 2023. Prior to the incident, in May 2023, the FBI had sent local authorities to interview the boy and his father following online threats made by the teenager regarding a potential school shooting. At that time, the boy denied posting such comments, and his father claimed that while hunting firearms were present in the home, the boy did not have unsupervised access to them. The FBI indicated there was insufficient evidence for further law enforcement action at that time.
This incident echoes earlier cases, including the recent sentencing of James and Jennifer Crumbley in Michigan, whose son used a gun purchased by them to carry out a school shooting. This case marked a significant precedent as it was one of the first instances where parents were held criminally liable for their child’s actions in a mass shooting.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.