Father gifted teen son assault rifle used in Georgia school shooting

ATLANTA (CN) — The father of the 14-year-old accused of fatally shooting four people at a Georgia high school gave his son the assault rifle used in the attack as a Christmas gift and allowed him to keep it next to his bed, despite mental health concerns, investigators revealed Wednesday.

During a preliminary hearing for 54-year-old Colin Gray, Georgia Bureau of Investigations agents detailed extensive warning signs surrounding his teen son, Colt Gray, leading up to the September shooting at Apalachee High School that state prosecutors say Colin Gray ignored.

Colin Gray faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. The charges stem from reckless conduct and providing his son a firearm while knowing he was a threat to himself and others, prosecutors said.

Barrow County Chief Magistrate Judge Caroline Evans ruled Wednesday there was sufficient probable cause for the charges, paving the way for a trial after hearing from the agents.

Along with the weapon used in the shooting, a SIG Sauer M400, Colin Gray also bought his son a tactical vest, ammunition and laser sights for the weapon, agents testified. Colin Gray also told investigators that he bought his son larger magazines for the rifle, after Colt Gray requested it.

GBI Special Agent Kelsey Ward said that another assault rifle and a shotgun were found unsecured in the closet of Colin Gray’s bedroom, which he shared with his 8-year old son. A handgun was also discovered on the bedroom floor, as well as a Glock in Colin’s vehicle.

Colin Gray told investigators that he enjoyed shooting and hunting and wanted his son to get into the hobby as well.

Investigators said that Colt Gray’s mother, 43-year-old Marcee Gray, had grown worried about her son’s increasing interest in firearms in the months before the shooting and argued with his father over whether the firearms were locked away.

“She had indicated to both of them that she wanted the weapons locked away so they were not accessible,” Ward testified.

She added that Colin Gray was reportedly supposed to pick up Marcee Gray for both to take their son to Advantage Behavioral Health Center in Athens, Georgia after it was recommended by Colt Gray’s school counselor, who had informed his father that his son was having anxiety attacks and possible suicidal ideations. But according to the mother, Colin Gray refused, saying he had no money for gas.

Ward testified that a “shrine of sorts” with newspaper clippings and photos of other school shooters was also found mounted behind Colt Gray’s computer desk during the search of Colin Gray’s home. The toll of how many students died in the Parkland high school shooting and type of firearms used were also displayed.

The father told investigators that he had seen the wall mountings and questioned his son about who the people were.

Several notebooks containing writings by Colt Gray that said, “I’m just about at my breaking point” and “eager to die” as well as stick figure illustrations with gunshot wounds and one with “suicide” written above it, were left out in the open, “in plain sight” on his desk, Ward said.

On the morning of the shooting, Colt Gray texted his father saying, “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault. Know that I love you and you are not to blame.”

He also sent a text message to his mother that said, “I’m sorry,” prompting her to call the school at 9:50 a.m. and tell them to immediately locate her son.

At 10:22 a.m., Colt Gray reportedly opened fire into a classroom, injuring at least six people and fatally shooting 14-year-old student, Christian Angulo.

GBI agents said that Colt Gray then ran down the hall where he shot and killed teacher Cristina Irimie and Coach Richard Aspinwall, and shot and injured another coach. He then reportedly shot and killed another 14-year-old student, Mason Schermerhorn, who was exiting the bathroom. After shooting Schermerhorn, agents said that officers arrived and encountered Colt Gray, who surrendered to authorities.

GBI Special Agent Lucas Beyer said a black notebook belonging to the teen was recovered from the school after the Sept. 4 shooting containing a page detailing his plan. Colt Gray estimated he could kill between 21 and 26 people while injuring as many as 11 others, authorities said.

In May 2023, local authorities came to Colin Gray’s home to speak with him and his son about a tip they received from the FBI about school shooting threats reportedly made by Cold Gray online on the messaging app Discord.

Despite the father and the teen acknowledging having access to several weapons at home, deputies from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office left the home and determined there was not enough evidence to tie Colt Gray to the online posts which he denied making.

Colt Gray is being separately tried as an adult and faces four counts of felony murder, facing a maximum penalty of life without parole.

Days after his arrest, Marcee Gray was indicted for a separate incident that occurred the year prior, in which authorities say she tied her own elderly mother to a chair for refusing to allow her to go kill her ex, Colin Gray. Last year, she was arrested for possessing drugs and damaging Colin Gray’s work vehicle.

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