In a tragic start to the school year, a deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, has left the community devastated. A 14-year-old student, Colt Gray, is facing serious charges after being accused of killing two students and two teachers in a mass shooting on Wednesday. Colt’s father, Colin Gray, is also facing charges in connection with the incident.
On Wednesday morning, Colt Gray allegedly brought an AR-style rifle to Apalachee High School and opened fire, killing four people and injuring nine others. The victims included two 14-year-old students, Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, and two teachers, 53-year-old math teacher Cristina Irimie and 39-year-old assistant football coach Richard Aspinwall. Authorities revealed that Ms. Irimie was celebrating her birthday with her students when she was tragically shot.
Of the nine people injured, seven were shot, including six students and one teacher. The remaining two students suffered non-gunshot injuries. Thankfully, authorities have confirmed that all of the injured are expected to fully recover.
Charges Against Colt Gray
Colt Gray, the teenage suspect, has been charged with four counts of felony murder. Despite being only 14, he will be tried as an adult under Georgia law, which allows juveniles aged 13 to 17 who commit serious crimes to be tried in adult court. Colt is currently being held at the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice and is expected to make his first court appearance on Friday. Authorities report that he is cooperating with the investigation.
Charges Against Colin Gray
In addition to Colt’s charges, his father, Colin Gray, 54, has also been charged in connection with the shooting. Colin is facing multiple counts, including four charges of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. These charges are related to his decision to allow his son to have access to a firearm. Authorities revealed that the AR-style rifle used in the shooting was purchased by Colin as a holiday present for Colt in December 2023.
This wasn’t the first time Colt Gray had been questioned by law enforcement. In May 2023, when Colt was 13, authorities had questioned him and his father about online threats suggesting that Colt planned to carry out a school shooting. These threats included photos of guns. However, Colt denied the allegations at the time, claiming he would never make such threats, even as a joke. The investigation was closed after authorities were unable to substantiate the claims.
Before the shooting occurred on Wednesday, Apalachee High School received a phone threat warning of potential shootings at five schools, including Apalachee. Although no other schools were targeted, investigators are exploring leads to determine if anyone else was involved in the planning of the attack.
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The Deadliest School Shooting of 2024
This shooting marks the 45th school shooting in the United States in 2024 and the deadliest since the March 2023 shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, where six people were killed.
Key points for this story
- 14-year-old suspect Colt Gray is charged with four counts of felony murder after a mass shooting at Apalachee High School, which left four people dead and nine others injured.
- Father charged: Colt’s father, Colin Gray, faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder for allowing his son access to a firearm.
- Victims: The victims include two 14-year-old students, Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, and two teachers, Cristina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall.
- Previous warning signs: Colt was questioned in 2023 about online threats but denied any involvement at the time.
- Suspect to be tried as an adult: Despite his age, Colt Gray will be tried as an adult under Georgia law.
This tragic event has shaken the Winder community and raised questions about gun access, school safety, and how warning signs can be better addressed.
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