Colt Gray, a 14-year-old Georgia teen, is under investigation for a fatal shooting at Apalachee High School that left four people dead. Gray had previously been on the FBI’s watchlist due to his connection with online threats of school violence in 2023. The FBI’s Atlanta field office disclosed that they had received anonymous tips about threats to an unidentified school, which included images of firearms.
Gray, who was 13 at the time, was identified as a potential suspect by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office. Both he and his father were interviewed. Gray’s father confirmed the presence of hunting guns in their home but assured authorities that his son did not have unsupervised access to them. Gray also denied making any threats of school violence.
Despite the lack of probable cause for further action, local schools were informed about Gray for continued monitoring. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is currently examining any potential links between the 2023 threats and the recent shooting at Apalachee High School.
Chris Hosey, the Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, confirmed that Gray’s family had previous interactions with children’s services in the area. This aspect is also being investigated for any potential connection to the recent incident.
The tragic event unfolded around 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday when Gray allegedly opened fire at the high school with an AR-style weapon. The victims included two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angelo, and two math teachers, Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie. Nine other individuals were injured and rushed to local hospitals.
Gray surrendered to two school resource officers who responded to the shooting and was taken into custody. The motive behind the shooting is still under investigation. Authorities have interviewed Gray, his family, and others associated with him since his arrest.
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith expressed his uncertainty about the motive behind the incident, stating, “I don’t know why it happened. We may never know.” Gray will be charged with murder as an adult.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp expressed his condolences, describing the incident as “everybody’s worst nightmare.” He urged Georgians and Americans to keep the affected families, educators, and students in their thoughts and prayers.