A 14-year-old boy’s father has been arrested after he is accused of killing four people at his high school in Georgia, USA.
Colin Gray, 54, is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of child maltreatment, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Authorities have accused his son, Colt Gray, with four charges of murder and want to prosecute him as an adult. His first court appearance is scheduled for Friday morning.
On Wednesday, a shooting occurred at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, killing two teachers and two students and injuring nine others.
GBI Director Chris Hosey said in a news conference on Thursday evening that “these charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon”.
Police are investigating whether Colin Gray purchased the AR-style firearm as a gift for his son in December 2023.
In May 2023, the FBI informed local authorities about internet threats regarding a school shooting linked to the suspect’s email account.
A sheriff’s deputy went to interrogate the youngster, who was 13 at the time.
His father told investigators he had guns in the house, but his son did not have unsupervised access to them, according to an FBI statement issued Wednesday.
According to officials, the threats were made on Discord, a social media network popular among video gamers, and included photographs of weaponry.
The account’s profile name was in Russian and translated to the surname of the gunman who murdered 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut in 2012.
A police incident report detailing last year’s interview with the youngster and his father was released on Thursday.
According to the report, a deputy described the youngster as “reserved” and “calm,” and stated that he “assured me he never threatened to shoot up any school.”
They stated he claimed to have destroyed his Discord account after it was constantly hijacked.
Colin Gray also told police that his son was being bullied at school and had been dealing with his parents’ separation.
According to police records, the boy’s mother and father were divorcing, and he was living with his father during the separation.
The teen frequently hunted with his father, who told authorities he photographed his son with deer blood on his cheeks.
The boy’s maternal grandfather has blamed the chaotic home life on Mr Gray’s breakup from his daughter.
“I understand my grandson did a horrendous thing – there’s no question about it, and he’s going to pay the price for it,” Charlie Polhamus told the newspaper.
“My grandson did what he did because of the environment that he lived in,” he added.
During a news conference on Thursday, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith stated that all nine of the injured were expected to recover fully.
Several sufferers have already left the hospital, he explained.
The attack killed 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, as well as instructors Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.
Witnesses reported that the suspect left an algebra lecture on Wednesday morning, only to return later and attempt to re-enter the classroom.
Some students attempted to open the locked door, but evidently saw the weapon and backed away.
Witnesses reported hearing 10-15 gunshots. Two school police officers instantly confronted the boy, who immediately surrendered.
These are not the first charges filed against the parents of a suspect in a school shooting.
In April, the parents of a Michigan teenager who killed four students with a rifle they had purchased for him just days before the massacre were punished for their involvement in the crime.
James and Jennifer Crumbley were both convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to ten to fifteen years in jail.
The case was widely claimed to be the first in which the parents of a child who committed a mass shooting were criminally charged.
