The father of accused Georgia high school shooter Colt Gray is now facing felony charges, himself, following his arrest as the investigation into Wednesday’s fatal shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder continues.
Colin Gray is now charged with two counts of second-degree murder, four counts of involuntary manslaughter and eight counts of cruelty to children, according to Fox News. He reportedly bought a rifle for his son as a gift, and hunted with him.
Both father and son had court appearances on Friday.
The younger Gray appeared in court before Judge Currie Mingledorff II, who explained the possible penalties if he is convicted. He faces four felony murder counts and could end up with life sentences without parole. Since he is under age 18, the death penalty will not apply, the judge said in court.
CBS News is reporting that Colin Gray apparently purchased the rifle for his son seven months after being contacted by law enforcement about alleged online threats of a school shooting.
A Fox News affiliate in Atlanta is reporting that gun prohibition lobbying groups—Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action—are using the Apalachee killings to lobby for stricter gun control laws. This comes after President Joe Biden and others swiftly called for more gun restrictions within hours of the shooting, which left two students and two math teachers dead and nine other people wounded.
In a separate report, the Fox affiliate—WAGA/Fox5 News—described the Gray home situation as “tumultuous.” The parents are apparently separated, with Colt residing with his father and two other children living with the mother, who reportedly has her own problems.
It is becoming almost routine for gun prohibition lobbying groups to immediately demand more gun control laws following a high-profile shooting incident, whether at a school or some other venue where several people are shot. However, such groups are also typically silent in the aftermath of any incident involving legally-armed citizens defending themselves or, as in the case of the shooting at an the Greenwood Park, Indiana mall shooting, bringing down a would-be mass shooter. In that July 2022 incident, then-22-year-old Elisjsha Dicken drew a legally-carried handgun and fatally shot killer Jonathan Sapirman after he had opened fire in the mall food court, killing two people with a semiautomatic rifle.
As the investigation continues in Georgia, more facts about the background of the alleged shooter and his family life will emerge.
The suspect was confronted and taken into custody by armed school resource officers, a fact which the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms highlighted Thursday.
Whether charging the parents of accused school shooters will become the new norm remains to be seen. Three years ago, in the aftermath of the shooting at Oxford High School in Michigan, the parents of convicted killer—15-year-old Ethan Robert Crumbley—were tried and convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sent to prison earlier this year.
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