Father of Apalachee High School Shooter Arrested, Faces Charges Tied to Deadly Attack

In a major turn of events following the tragic Apalachee High School shooting, the father of the teenage suspect, Colin Gray, has been arrested in connection with the deadly incident. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) announced Thursday that Gray, 54, is facing serious charges, including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children.

Colin Gray’s 14-year-old son, Colt Gray, is accused of fatally shooting two students and two teachers with an AR-style rifle at the school on Wednesday. The violent attack also left nine others wounded and hospitalized.

According to investigators, Colin Gray admitted to purchasing the AR-15-style rifle used in the massacre as a Christmas gift for his son in December 2023. Sources with direct knowledge of the investigation revealed that the weapon was bought from a local gun store, even after law enforcement had previously contacted the Gray family over unsubstantiated online threats made by Colt regarding a potential school shooting.

Despite the earlier warning, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office closed their investigation into Colt’s online threats, citing a lack of evidence to pursue charges at the time.

As the community mourns the lives lost in the tragedy, the investigation now turns to Colin Gray’s potential role in enabling the shooting by providing his son with the firearm.