Father of Georgia school shooting suspect arrested

GBI Director Hosey explains charges against Colin Gray relate to his son’s access to the weapon used in the incident

The father of a 14-year-old accused of fatally shooting four people at Apalachee High School in Georgia has been arrested.

Colin Gray, 54, now faces several charges, including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of child cruelty, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI).

His son, Colt Gray, is charged with four counts of murder, and authorities intend to prosecute him as an adult.

The shooting, which occurred on Wednesday in Winder, Georgia, resulted in the deaths of two teachers and two students, as well as injuries to nine others.

GBI Director Chris Hosey explained that the charges against Colin Gray relate to his son’s access to the weapon used in the incident. Investigators are probing whether Colin Gray bought the AR-style firearm for his son as a gift in December 2023.

In May 2023, the FBI flagged threats linked to Colt Gray, and local authorities interviewed him. His father claimed the boy did not have unsupervised access to the family's guns, despite concerns.

Colt Gray is expected to make his first court appearance on Friday. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith noted that all nine injured individuals are expected to recover, with some already released from the hospital.

This case echoes a 2021 Michigan incident, where the parents of a school shooter were similarly charged for their involvement in providing access to the we