The father of a 14-year-old boy charged with fatally shooting four people at a Georgia high school was arrested on Thursday, facing serious charges, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Authorities allege that Colin Gray, 54, allowed his son Colt Gray to possess a weapon, which directly contributed to the tragic incident.
This case highlights a growing trend of holding parents accountable for their children’s involvement in school shootings.
In April, Jennifer and James Crumbley became the first parents convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting. They were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for failing to secure a firearm and ignoring signs of their son’s mental health issues, which led to him killing four students in 2021.
Colin Gray faces multiple charges including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children, as confirmed by Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.
These charges stem from the actions of his son and the permissive attitude toward weapon possession.
In Georgia, second-degree murder involves causing another’s death while committing second-degree cruelty to children and is punishable by 10 to 30 years in prison. Involuntary manslaughter involves unintentional killing.
Colt Gray, charged as an adult, faces four murder counts for the shootings on Wednesday at Apalachee High School near Atlanta.
The attack, in which he allegedly used a semiautomatic rifle, resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers, with nine others injured, seven of whom were shot.
In 2023, when authorities investigated Colt Gray for a menacing social media post, he denied any threat. The sheriff’s report noted that the evidence was inconsistent, which prevented an arrest.
Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum stated that there was no basis for charges at that time, emphasizing that all feasible actions were taken.
Colt Gray’s father had previously stated that his son had struggled with their separation and bullying at school. He mentioned that Colt frequently handled firearms and hunted with him, asserting that he was well aware of the seriousness of weapons.
This incident at Apalachee High School, where classes were canceled on Thursday, marks the 30th mass killing in the U.S. in 2024.
The nine hospitalized individuals, including eight students and one teacher, are expected to survive.
The community mourns the loss of Richard Aspinwall, a beloved coach and mentor, as authorities continue to investigate how the suspect obtained the firearm and accessed the school.
The ongoing debates about gun control and school safety remain poignant, as tragic events like this underscore the complexities law enforcement faces in preventing and responding to such violence.
