AR-style rifle Purchased as Present to Son by Father of Georgia School Shooting Suspect

[Social Media]

 

The weapon used in the killings, an AR-style rifle, had been a holiday gift from Gray’s father, according to two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation.

 

Colin Gray, the suspect’s father, revealed to investigators that he had purchased the rifle as a gift for his son in December 2023. Despite multiple attempts by CNN to contact him, Colin Gray has not responded, and it is unclear if he has secured legal representation.

 

The tragedy at Apalachee High marks the 45th school shooting in the U.S. this year and stands as the deadliest since the Covenant School massacre in Nashville in March 2023, where six people were killed. Among the victims at Apalachee High were two students and two teachers, while nine others were hospitalized. One student, 14-year-old Macey Right, described the harrowing experience, saying, "I heard gunshots outside my classroom and people screaming, people begging not to get shot." She went on to recount how her classmates were "just shaking and crying."

 

The events unfolded around 9:45 a.m., when Gray left his Algebra 1 class, according to his classmate, Lyela Sayarath. When he attempted to return, the classroom doors, which lock automatically, were shut. Another student, seeing the gun in Gray’s possession, refused to let him back in—a decision that may have saved lives. Instead, Gray turned his weapon on a nearby classroom, firing 10 to 15 rounds in quick succession.

 

The first report of an active shooter came in at 10:20 a.m., prompting a swift response from two school resource officers and other law enforcement personnel. One of the officers confronted Gray, who then surrendered and was taken into custody. Gray is currently being held at Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Centers and is set to make his first court appearance on Friday.

 

As the investigation continues, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith confirmed that Gray is cooperating with authorities. Georgia Governor Brian Kemp described the incident as "everybody’s worst nightmare," a sentiment echoed across the country as mass shootings continue to plague the nation. According to the Gun Violence Archive, there have been at least 385 mass shootings in the U.S. this year alone, averaging more than 1.5 incidents per day.

 

Among the victims were 14-year-old students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, who never made it home from school that day. The other two victims were 53-year-old math teacher Christina Irimie and 39-year-old math teacher and assistant football coach Richard Aspinwall. Sheriff Smith noted that all teachers at the school are equipped with Centegix, an ID system designed to alert law enforcement in emergencies. This system, which includes real-time locating capabilities and a wearable panic button, was activated during the shooting.

 

Gray, who faces four counts of felony murder, is expected to be tried as an adult. His past interactions with law enforcement include a troubling incident from May 2023, when he was questioned after posting online threats to "shoot up a middle school" on the chat platform Discord. Despite these red flags, the tragedy at Apalachee High School was not prevented, leaving yet another community grappling with the aftermath of senseless violence.

 

Credit: CNN 2024-09-06

 

 

 

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[sqwakvfr]

After the civil lawsuits are filed and adjudicated the Gray family will be barnkrupt.  I was a firearm owner for over 35 years and what kind of responsible firearms owners gifts a long rifle to a 14 year old. 

2nd Amendment advocates will have a hard time defeniding the father.  

[Tug]

This father is a brain dead idiot after his kid gets interrogated for school threats the moron buys his defective brat a semi auto long gun????this moron aught to get the same sentence his snot nose imbecile of a kid gets!!my god how could he be so stupid?

[Tug]

Update the father has been arrested 4counts  involuntary manslaughter 2 counts murder in the 2ond 8 counts cruelty to children….perhaps he will serve with his defective spawn.

[stevenl]

1 hour ago, sqwakvfr said:

After the civil lawsuits are filed and adjudicated the Gray family will be barnkrupt.  I was a firearm owner for over 35 years and what kind of responsible firearms owners gifts a long rifle to a 14 year old. 

2nd Amendment advocates will have a hard time defeniding the father.  

Even worse, after the son has been interrogated by the FBI about threats to kill his fellow students.

[JonnyF]

Wow. You really fear for America when it has idiots like this in society.

 

Life in jail. Nothing less. 

[Chomper Higgot]

The shooter was interviewed by Investigators a year ago following threats he made online. His father, who since bought him a gun, said at the time of that investigation that his son did not have access to guns.

 

His father has now been arrested and charged with second degree murder:

 

 

“More than a year ago, tips about online posts threatening a school shooting led Georgia police to interview Colt Gray, then 13, but investigators did not have enough evidence for an arrest. “
 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/sep/05/georgia-shooting-apalachee-boy-interviewed

 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2024/sep/05/us-elections-live-kamala-harris-debate-donald-trump

 

 

[KhunLA]

About time.   The purchaser of said firearm, should be responsible for same.  

[Berkshire]

1 hour ago, JonnyF said:

Wow. You really fear for America when it has idiots like this in society.

 

Life in jail. Nothing less. 

For the father or son?  The precedent has been set just recently as a Michigan couple was sent to jail following their son's murder of 4 students (but they didn't receive life sentences).  I think this is a good thing, holding the parents accountable for gross negligence resulting in the death of others.  If this prevents a few knuckleheads from buying an assault rifle for their teenage kids....progress.

[JonnyF]

17 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

For the father or son?  The precedent has been set just recently as a Michigan couple was sent to jail following their son's murder of 4 students (but they didn't receive life sentences).  I think this is a good thing, holding the parents accountable for gross negligence resulting in the death of others.  If this prevents a few knuckleheads from buying an assault rifle for their teenage kids....progress.

 

I meant the father, but ideally, both.

 

The son will probably get a lighter sentence due to his age. 

[animalmagic]

6 hours ago, sqwakvfr said:

2nd Amendment advocates will have a hard time defeniding the father.  

But you can bet they will try!

[Freddy42OZ]

6 hours ago, Tug said:

This father is a brain dead idiot after his kid gets interrogated for school threats the moron buys his defective brat a semi auto long gun????this moron aught to get the same sentence his snot nose imbecile of a kid gets!!my god how could he be so stupid?

 

The father has been arrested apparently.

[Patong2021]

 

21 minutes ago, Freddy42OZ said:

The father has been arrested apparently.

 

And now out on bail.

Neighbors are describing him as not sociable. I looked at the  images of the 2 teachers and 2 kids killed. Heartbreaking.

.

 

[BusyB]

 

Has anyone noticed the kid's name?

 

[Inderpland]

1 hour ago, BusyB said:

 

Has anyone noticed the kid's name?

 

I have read that the father named his son after a firearm. If that turns out to be correct then I'm truly at a loss for words.

[spidermike007]

Colin Gray must be very proud of himself and his son. What can one say? 

 

In this life they are various classes of mistakes, for instance wearing white to a formal event in New York City after Labor Day is considered a small mistake. A big mistake was Hitler deciding to invade Russia with the approach of winter. 

 

When it comes to mass murder, serial killings, serial rape, or genocide, I think that the penalties have to be severe for both the perpetrator and the family of the perpetrator. Cripple the kids families. Make them suffer. Bankrupt them, take their home, property, cars and make them suffer, as the families of this kid will suffer. They failed. They raised a murderer. And weaponized him!

 

The authorities need to man up, make a statement and demonstrate that serious crime is taken seriously. 

[bubblegum]

13 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

The tragedy at Apalachee High marks the 45th school shooting in the U.S. this year

And now its week 32.   

 

[BusyB]

2 hours ago, Inderpland said:

I have read that the father named his son after a firearm. If that turns out to be correct then I'm truly at a loss for words.

 

Yes. The poor kid is called Colt. And I don't think the parents meant horses.

 

And his 'father' bought him the rifle a year after he'd been interviewed about threatening a school shooting.

 

I hope they get some seriously qualified psychiatrics involved here. There's more to it than meets the eye. That kid looks like he was groomed for this.

[bubblegum]

In the US, only a third of those in need receive adequate mental health care25. The level of mental health quality of care is poor and the rate of improvement is slow compared to general medical conditions26. 

 

Measuring and improving the quality of mental health care: a global perspective - PMC (nih.gov)

 

Just in case you decide to tell me it's not guns, it's a mental health issue.

[jvs]

9 hours ago, JonnyF said:

 

I meant the father, but ideally, both.

 

The son will probably get a lighter sentence due to his age. 

The son is going to be treated as an adult in this case so his life will end in jail.

[Tug]

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

Colin Gray must be very proud of himself and his son. What can one say? 

 

In this life they are various classes of mistakes, for instance wearing white to a formal event in New York City after Labor Day is considered a small mistake. A big mistake was Hitler deciding to invade Russia with the approach of winter. 

 

When it comes to mass murder, serial killings, serial rape, or genocide, I think that the penalties have to be severe for both the perpetrator and the family of the perpetrator. Cripple the kids families. Make them suffer. Bankrupt them, take their home, property, cars and make them suffer, as the families of this kid will suffer. They failed. They raised a murderer. And weaponized him!

 

The authorities need to man up, make a statement and demonstrate that serious crime is taken seriously. 

I agree with this caveat….if the family in question were responsible gun owners properly storing their weapons and their kid stole the weapon that’s different.obviously that doesn’t seem to be the case in this instance instead of naming the kid colt they should have named him dolt……my deepest condolences to all the families affected by this heinous act….enough!!

[bendejo]

"Daddy, buy me an Uzi?"

 

 

[shdmn]

[radiochaser]

21 minutes ago, shdmn said:

That isn't correct.

[youreavinalaff]

6 hours ago, jvs said:

The son is going to be treated as an adult in this case so his life will end in jail.

Not quite. An adult, over 18, could receive the death sentence. Under 18s xann9t be executed.

[josephbloggs]

What a <deleted> up country.

[Freddy42OZ]

15 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

The authorities need to man up, make a statement and demonstrate that serious crime is taken seriously. 

 

But you know they won't. Even if they do it won't make a damned bit of difference to the type of American who thinks guns are good. 

[jvs]

8 hours ago, youreavinalaff said:

Not quite. An adult, over 18, could receive the death sentence. Under 18s xann9t be executed.

Like i said,his life will end in jail.

A life sentence without parole.

[spidermike007]

2 hours ago, Freddy42OZ said:

 

But you know they won't. Even if they do it won't make a damned bit of difference to the type of American who thinks guns are good. 

Trump is actively engaged in weakening gun control laws even after this event. He is morally bankrupt and sold his soul to the NRA and extremist gun owners. 

 

Many moderate gun owners are fine with more extensive background checks and more restrictions on semi automatic weapons. It is the Trumps of this world who are working hard to make it a more dangerous place, and make things easier for mass murderers. 

 

 

[Dcheech]

If only Georgia had mandatory carry for students, they would have been able to stop this.