Father of alleged Georgia high school shooter faces murder and other charges

The father of the 14-year-old who allegedly killed four people at a Georgia high school also has been charged in connection with the attack.

 

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Colin Gray, 54, faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children and will be held at the Barrow County Jail.

 

“These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon,” said Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

 

Colt Gray, 14, has been charged with murder in the attack earlier this week at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. He allegedly used an AR-platform-style weapon to fatally shoot two students and two teachers; nine others were injured.

 

According to Georgia law, parents or caretakers can be charged with second-degree cruelty to children if investigators can prove criminal negligence — whether an adult was aware or should have been aware of a gun being in the area and did nothing to keep it out of the reach of children. Second-degree murder is added if the negligence results in a death.

 

Those killed at the high school were Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and assistant football coach Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and math teacher Christina Irimie, 53.

 

Barrow Sheriff Jud Smith said the nine people injured — two teachers and seven students — are expected to make a full recovery.