The father of the Apalachee High School shooting suspect has been arrested and charged in connection with the tragic incident that claimed the lives of four people, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) confirmed.
Colin Gray, 54, faces multiple charges, including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children, authorities announced on Thursday.
His son, 14-year-old Colt Gray, a student at the school, is accused of fatally shooting two students and two teachers with an AR-style rifle during the attack on Wednesday. In addition to the fatalities, six students and a teacher were injured by gunfire, and two other students sustained non-gunshot-related injuries.
According to charging documents, Colt Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder. Authorities have indicated that he will likely be tried as an adult.
GBI Director Chris Hosey stated that the charges against Colin Gray are based on evidence that he “knowingly allowed” his son access to the weapon. Gray reportedly told investigators that he had purchased the rifle used in the shooting as a holiday gift for his son in December 2023, despite a previous investigation into school shooting threats made by Colt online.
The gun purchase occurred months after the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office closed its investigation into the threats, which they deemed unsubstantiated.
This tragic event, which occurred just weeks into the new school year, marks the 45th school shooting in the U.S. this year and the deadliest since the March 2023 massacre at The Covenant School in Nashville.
The nine injured survivors are expected to recover fully, according to authorities.
As the community mourns another senseless act of violence, investigators continue to piece together the details surrounding this devastating case.
