(TheIndependentStar.com) – Following the deadly incident where a 14-year-old boy killed four people at Apalachee High School in Georgia, authorities confirmed that his father was arrested this week.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), 54-year-old Colin Gray faces charges including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children.
GBI Director Chris Hosey explained at an evening press conference that the charges are “directly connected with the actions of his son” during the deadly shooting at the Barrow County school.
“These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon,” Hosey stated.
Under Georgia law, parents or guardians can be charged with second-degree cruelty to children if it is proven that they acted with criminal negligence—meaning they knew or should have known a gun was accessible and did nothing to keep it out of a child’s reach.
If that negligence leads to a death, second-degree murder charges can be added.
Moreover, this legal approach is one of the few ways Georgia prosecutors can hold parents accountable for failing to securely store firearms, as the state does not have a law specifically requiring the safe storage of guns.
Colin Gray’s son, Colt, is accused of killing two students and two teachers and injuring nine others. Arrest warrants state he used an AR-style weapon.
While authorities have shared a few additional details, they have emphasized that the investigation is ongoing. Public records show that Colin Gray previously faced minor traffic-related charges in the late 1990s.
Colt Gray is being held at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center on four counts of murder, while the GBI indicated that more charges are likely.
In addition, Colt was tried as an adult as he made his first court appearance this morning at the Barrow County courthouse.
According to Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice spokesperson Glenn Allen, the hearing will be virtual, with Colt calling in from the detention center,
The FBI revealed that Colt Gray had been under investigation before. In May 2023, they received anonymous tips about school shooting threats posted on an online gaming site, accompanied by photos of guns, though the posts did not specify a school or timing.
The FBI said there was no legal basis to press charges based on the information available at the time. However, the Jackson County sheriff’s office notified local schools, and Colt was monitored afterward.
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