On Sept. 4, 14-year-old Colt Gray allegedly opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, killing two other 14-year old students and two teachers. Gray was arrested and charged with murder.
The following day, Gray’s father, Colin Gray, was also arrested in connection with the attack, and was charged with multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and cruelty to children.
At a news conference held that day, Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, said, “These charges stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon.”
Colin Gray is not the first parent to be charged for a school shooting carried out by their child. In February, a Michigan jury found Jennifer Crumbley guilty of manslaughter for the 2021 school shooting committed by her son, Ethan, who was 15 years old when he opened fire at his high school, killing four students. Jennifer Crumbley purchased the weapon used in the attack and took her son to a shooting range to practice firing it, according to prosecutors. (In a separate trial, Ethan Crumbley’s father, James, was also convicted of manslaughter in the shooting.)