A 14-year-old suspect, Colt Gray, has been charged with four counts of murder following a deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Authorities allege that Gray used an AR-style weapon in the attack, which claimed the lives of two teachers and two students.
Gray’s mugshot was released by police on Thursday, and he is set to appear in court on Friday. Investigators are now working to determine the motive behind the tragedy.
Law enforcement officials revealed that Gray had previously been on their radar. In May 2023, he was questioned regarding threatening posts on social media that hinted at a potential school shooting. At the time, Gray denied any involvement, and his father, Colin Gray, informed authorities that while there were hunting firearms in the home, his son didn’t have unsupervised access to them.
The victims of the shooting have been identified by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, along with 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. Gray was arrested at the scene and will be tried as an adult, according to local authorities.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith denounced the incident as “evil,” but assured the community that “hate will not win here.”
One year prior to the shooting, Gray and his father were questioned by both local police and the FBI after online threats surfaced. During that investigation, Gray insisted he would never carry out a school shooting.
Despite this, investigators say Gray opened fire at Apalachee High School, using a weapon that has yet to be fully identified, though officials confirmed it was an AR-style rifle. Nine others were also injured in the incident. Law enforcement is currently trying to determine how Gray acquired the gun, as his father had previously stated the family’s firearms were kept secured.
The investigation continues as officials search for a clear motive, and questions linger over whether the tragedy could have been prevented.
Source: James Liddell,Mike Bedigan,Katie Hawkinson @ Independent News
