School shooting: Suspect’s father provided gun knowing son posed threat, arrest warrants show

ATLANTA — Colin Gray, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, provided his son with a gun “knowing he posed a threat to himself and others,” arrest warrants say.

Colin Gray, 54, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of child cruelty on Sept. 5, a day after four people were shot and killed and nine injured.

“These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a firearm,” GBI Director Chris Hosey said at a Sept. 5 news conference.

Arrest warrants obtained Monday indicate that Colin Gray has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder in the deaths of students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, both 14. He faces counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the deaths of teachers Ricky Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie and the two students.

Colin Gray’s trial is believed to be the first of its kind in Georgia and only the second nationwide, after the parents of a Michigan school shooter were convicted of involuntary manslaughter. They were sentenced in April to at least 10 years in prison. In both cases, the parents were accused of ignoring warning signs that their children might be violent and allowing their children access to guns.

Colin Gray appeared in court Friday morning after a hearing for his son, during which he rocked back and forth in his seat as the judge read him the proceedings. Judge Currie Mingledorff said he could face up to 180 years in prison on charges that authorities say are “directly related to his son’s actions” in the Apalachee High School massacre.

Gray is being held in the Barrow County Jail after being arrested Thursday, Sept. 5. His attorneys have not entered a plea or requested bail.

– Rosie Manins and Charles Minshew contributed to this article.