A father and his 14-year-old son are set to appear in court Friday morning on charges connected to the deadly school shooting that left a small north Georgia community grieving this week. The incident at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers.
Colt Gray, a student at Apalachee High School, faces four counts of felony murder after authorities say he used an AR-style rifle on campus on Wednesday morning, killing four individuals, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI). In addition to the fatalities, nine others were injured, including seven who suffered gunshot wounds, the GBI said.
“A young person brought a gun into a school and committed an evil act, taking lives and injuring many others,” said Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith during a Thursday night press conference.
Authorities have also charged Colt’s father, Colin Gray, 54, with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. The GBI confirmed the charges stem from Colin Gray knowingly allowing his son to possess the firearm used in the shooting.
Both father and son will appear in court on Friday morning. According to T.J. BeMent, Barrow County District Court Administrator, Colt Gray is set for an initial hearing at 8:30 a.m., followed by Colin Gray’s arraignment at 9:30 a.m.
Authorities are investigating whether Colt and Colin Gray have legal representation. When contacted, the Barrow County Public Defender’s Office declined to comment whether they represented the teenage suspect.
Details of the Tragic Shooting
Wednesday’s mass shooting was the 45th school shooting of 2024 and the deadliest since the March 2023 massacre at The Covenant School in Nashville, where six people were killed. Under Georgia law, juveniles aged 13 to 17 who commit serious crimes are automatically tried as adults. However, Colt will remain in the custody of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice until he turns 17.
The four victims of the shooting have been identified as 14-year-old students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, along with 53-year-old math teacher Cristina Irimie and 39-year-old assistant football coach and math teacher Richard Aspinwall. According to friends, Irimie was celebrating her birthday with her students on the day of the shooting.
Of the nine people injured, seven — six students and a teacher — were shot, while two others sustained non-gunshot-related injuries. All nine are expected to make a full recovery.
Previous Threats and Gun Purchase
In May 2023, Colt and his father were questioned by law enforcement regarding online threats of a potential school shooting. These threats, which included photos of guns, were not substantiated at the time, and the investigation was closed.
Before the charges against Colin Gray were filed, law enforcement sources revealed that he had purchased the AR-style rifle used in the shooting as a holiday present for his son in December 2023 — months after authorities had first investigated the threat.
Colt Gray is cooperating with investigators, and authorities are continuing to explore whether any associates were involved in the shooting. In addition to the physical devastation, the shooting sent shockwaves through the community, with Apalachee High School receiving a phone threat just before the shooting took place, warning of potential violence at five schools. No evidence of further planned attacks has been found.
This case has raised significant concerns about gun safety and the responsibilities of parents, particularly in light of the recent rise in school shootings across the U.S.