Additional Coverage:
The mother of a teenager accused of carrying out a shooting spree that left two students and two teachers dead at a Georgia high school last week has issued an apology to the victims’ families in an open letter.
The letter, obtained by CNN, from Marcee Gray, asserts that her 14-year-old son, Colt Gray, “is not a monster.”
Colt Gray is facing four counts of felony murder for the deaths of math teachers Cristina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39, along with 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo.
“To the parents and families of those impacted by the tragic events at Apalachee High School, I am deeply sorry from the bottom of my heart,” the letter reads. “If I could trade places with Mason and Christian, I would do so without hesitation.”
She also expressed her sorrow for the two teachers who lost their lives while teaching and protecting students.
Eight other students and a teacher were injured in the September 4 shooting that shocked the small town of Winder. According to Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith, Colt Gray, armed with an “AR-platform style weapon,” opened fire around 10:20 a.m. but quickly surrendered after being confronted by deputies assigned to the school.
Colt Gray’s father, Colin Gray, is accused of allowing his son to access the semiautomatic rifle used in the shooting. Colin Gray faces charges including four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children.
Marcee Gray also reportedly contacted the school counselor on the morning of the shooting, describing an “extreme emergency” and urging them to find her son, according to the Washington Post. The school sent an administrator to his classroom, but the teen was not present.
“We are living a nightmare, and I will never forgive myself for what has happened,” Marcee Gray wrote. “My son Colt is not a monster.
He is my firstborn. He is quiet, thoughtful, caring, funny, and exceptionally intelligent.
Please pray for him and the rest of our family, as I am praying for all of you every moment of every day.”