Fresh information has surfaced in the wake of the devastating shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, that left four dead and nine injured.
The accused shooter, 14-year-old Colt Gray, and his father, Colin Gray, 54, both appeared in court Friday, facing severe charges related to the incident.
Their mugshots were also released for the first time by authorities.
Take a look —
Colin Gray, mugshot from the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office
Colt Gray, mugshot from the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office
Colt Gray, who will be tried as an adult, faces four counts of felony murder. If convicted, he could receive life in prison without parole.
His father, Colin, has been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children, potentially facing up to 180 years if convicted on all counts.
The deadly massacre came after a series of missed warning signs. A year before the shooting, the FBI received a tip about a threat allegedly made by Colt on a gaming app.
In an interview with local law enforcement, Colin Gray admitted to having accessible firearms in the home, though he claimed they were unloaded. He described efforts to interest his son in hunting and outdoor activities.
“I don’t know, like I don’t know anything about him saying s*** like that. I’m going to be mad as hell if he did. And then all the guns will go away. And they won’t be accessible to him. You know, I’m trying to be honest with you, I’m trying to teach him about firearms and safety, and how to do it all, getting him interested in the outdoors,” Colin reportedly told investigators at the time.
Despite the tip, authorities did not act on the threat, but local schools were alerted to monitor Colt.
However, the family’s subsequent move to a different county raises questions about whether this crucial information was communicated to Colt’s new school.
The investigation has also revealed a troubled family background. Colt lived with his father, while his siblings resided with their mother, who has faced years of legal troubles including drug possession charges.
The victims of the shooting have been identified as 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. The community has rallied in grief, holding candlelight vigils for those lost.