The mother of the suspect involved in a tragic shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia alerted school officials to an “extreme emergency” the day of the attack. Reports indicate that both the suspect’s mother and grandmother reached out to the school prior to the incident.
Colt Gray, a 14-year-old, has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder following the shooting that claimed the lives of four individuals and left nine others injured. In addition to the charges against him, his father, Colin Gray, faces charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and child cruelty for allegedly allowing his son access to an AR-15 style rifle.
On the day of the shooting, Colt and his father appeared in court but did not enter pleas. Text messages reveal that Colts’ mother, Marcee Gray, contacted the school shortly before the attack, indicating her concern for her son.
In her message, she emphasized the urgency of her request for school officials to check on Colt. The context of her alarm remains unclear, but communication logs show that her call was made roughly half an hour before the shooting started. Confusion reportedly arose when school staff attempted to locate the boy, likely due to another student having a similar name.
Colt’s family disclosed that there were ongoing issues regarding his behavior and attendance at school. Reports indicate that he had been facing mental health challenges prior to the shooting, and police had previously interviewed him in connection to online threats made earlier in the year.
Vigils have since been held to honor the victims, with a growing memorial of flowers, candles, and balloons placed outside Apalachee High School. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is currently overseeing the case, while the Barrow County School System has not publicly commented on the incident.
