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Who is Colt Gray? | What we know about the suspect in Apalachee High School shooting

Four people were killed, and nine people were hospitalized due to the shooting in Barrow County on Wednesday.

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities are working to learn more about the gunman who killed four people in a school shooting that sent nine others to the hospital in Barrow County Wednesday.

The alleged shooter was identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the teen was a student at Apalachee High School. 

The warrants accuse Gray of using a black semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle to kill four people. Authorities have identified the victims as 39-year-old teacher Richard Aspinwall, 53-year-old teacher Cristina Irimie, 14-year-old student Mason Schermerhorn and 14-year-old student Christian Angulo. 

Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder in connection to the shooting. The GBI said additional charges are expected.

Police released Colt Gray's mugshot on Thursday. 

Credit: Barrow County Sheriff's Office.
Colt Gray

According to officials, Gray had enrolled at the school two weeks before the shooting. The day of the shooting was only his second day on campus.

Colt Gray's father arrested

Colt Gray's father, Colin Gray, was arrested Thursday in connection to the shooting, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. 

Colin Gray, 54, has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, the GBI said. 

Credit: Barrow County Sheriff's Office

RELATED: Alleged Apalachee High shooter's grandfather shares more insight into the Gray family dynamic

Colt Gray previously investigated

The Federal Bureau of Investigation said that Colt Gray was actually investigated in 2023 by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office after Gray allegedly posted online threats containing photos of guns in a threat to commit a school shooting. The time and location were unknown.

Gray was 13 years old at the time. At the time, the father said that though he had hunting guns in the house, his son did not have "unsupervised access" to them. The boy also denied making the online threats.

First court appearances

Colt Gray and Colin Gray had their first court appearances at Barrow County Courthouse on Friday. 

In each appearance, the judge read the charges and explained the maximum sentences related to them. Both father and son said they were not asking for bond. 

Colt Gray recently enrolled into Barrow County schools 

According to the public relations officer at Jackon County Schools, Colt Gray attended middle school at West Jackson Middle School for sixth grade. He started the seventh grade, but according to Jackson County, he transferred out to a neighboring district. 

The district was unable to say what district or clarify where he ended his middle school career, but it is known that Gray later transferred into the Barrow County School System, where he was then enrolled at Apalachee High School. 

More on the tragedy

Law enforcement responded to reports of an active shooter at 10:23 a.m., according to a release from the Barrow County Sheriff's Office. The situation unfolded rapidly, with multiple agencies arriving on the scene to manage the emergency and begin the investigation.

Authorities have confirmed that a 14-year-old suspect is in custody. The Barrow County Sheriff's Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), and other law enforcement agencies are investigating the incident to gather more details about the suspect and their possible motives.

"First and foremost, we wanna lift up our community, give our sympathies to our community, school system, kids, parents, that had to witness this today," Sheriff Jud Smith said. "Obviously, what you see behind us is an evil thing today."

Apalachee High School is located on Haymon Morris Road, just outside the city limits of Winder in Barrow County, Georgia. The school is part of the Barrow County School District, which also includes nearby schools such as Haymon Morris Middle School, Yargo Elementary School, and Cadence Academy Preschool.

   

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