Colin Gray, father of Georgia high school shooter, charged with murder, manslaughter and child cruelty

Colin Gray, the father of Colt Gray, the 14-year-old accused of a fatal shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia, has been charged in connection with the attack. The incident left two teachers and two students dead and sparked a national debate about parental responsibility in gun violence involving minors. Authorities have charged Colin Gray, 54, with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree homicide and eight counts of cruelty to children, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) reported.

The charges were announced following the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024, where Colt Gray allegedly used an AR-style weapon to open fire. The attack resulted in the deaths of students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53. Eight other students and a teacher were injured during the incident. Colt Gray is currently facing four counts of murder, with the GBI indicating additional charges are likely.

GBI Director Chris Hosey explained at a news conference that the charges against Colin Gray were directly related to his son’s access to the gun used in the attack. “These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a gun,” Hosey said. He highlighted the growing trend of holding parents responsible when they fail to secure firearms that their children later use in violent acts. Colin Gray is being held without bail at the Barrow County Detention Center.

The case is part of a broader movement to prosecute parents whose children commit acts of gun violence. Earlier this year, the parents of a 15-year-old Michigan student who killed four classmates were convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Jennifer and James Crumbley were both sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison after it was revealed that they had purchased the gun used in the attack for their son, despite warning signs of his violent intentions. Legal experts suggest this growing trend could lead to more parents facing legal consequences in similar situations.

Nick Suplina, senior vice president of law and policy at Everytown for Gun Safety, stressed the importance of holding parents accountable in these tragic cases. He said the Grays’ actions have devastated the Apalachee High School community. “The Crumbley case shows that parents can — and should — be held accountable when they fail to care about public safety,” Suplina said. He criticized Colin Gray for giving his son access to a “weapon of war” and ignoring warnings.

In the year leading up to the shooting, the FBI received reports that Colt Gray had made threats online. Authorities interviewed the teen and his father, but determined there was no basis for an arrest at the time. Colin Gray had assured investigators that while he owned hunting firearms, they were not accessible to his son. However, the incident raised questions about whether parents should be more vigilant about gun safety in their homes, especially when there are warning signs of potential violence.

The Apalachee High School shooting is not an isolated incident. In Highland Park, Illinois, a father pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges after his son killed seven people at a 2022 Fourth of July parade. In Virginia, the mother of a 6-year-old boy was sentenced to two years in prison for child neglect after her son shot his first-grade teacher. These cases illustrate a trend of legal action against parents whose children commit gun violence.

Adam Winkler, a law professor and gun policy expert, noted that the precedent set by these cases could encourage more prosecutors to pursue parents in similar circumstances. “There was reason to be concerned about the child’s access to firearms,” Winkler said, referring to the previous visit by law enforcement to the Gray home.

The impact of these court decisions extends beyond the judiciary. They send a clear message to gun owners about the importance of responsible firearm storage and the potential consequences of neglect. As more cases emerge, the focus on parental responsibility for gun violence involving minors will likely continue to grow, sparking new debates about the responsibilities of gun ownership and public safety.

The Apalachee High School community continues to mourn the loss of its students and teachers as authorities work to piece together the events that led to this tragedy. The charges against Colin Gray underscore the seriousness of failing to secure firearms and the potential repercussions that extend beyond the perpetrators themselves. As this case unfolds, it could set a new standard for legal actions against parents in similar cases across the country.