WINDER, Georgia. A 14-year-old accused of carrying out a deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, appeared in court on Friday, as his lawyer opted not to seek bail. The teenager, identified as Colt Gray, is being charged as an adult in connection with the deaths of four people, including two students and two teachers, during Wednesday’s tragic incident.
Gray, dressed in khaki pants and a green shirt, was escorted out of the courtroom in shackles following the hearing, where his legal team declined to request bail. The courtroom had been prepared with boxes of tissues on the benches, as family members and community members gathered to witness the proceedings.
The shooting, which left nine others injured, has shocked the local community and raised further questions about gun access and school safety across the nation. Gray allegedly used a semiautomatic, assault-style rifle to carry out the attack, though authorities have yet to determine how he obtained the firearm or managed to bring it into the school premises. Investigators have not provided a motive for the shooting.
The suspect’s father, Colin Gray, 54, was also arrested on Thursday and faces charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder. According to Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey, these charges stem from his role in allowing his son to possess a weapon. “His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon,” Hosey stated.
The shooting victims have been identified as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14 years old, along with teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Aspinwall was a math teacher and assistant football coach, while Irimie, a Romanian immigrant, volunteered at a local church, teaching dance. A neighbor remembered Schermerhorn as “an inquisitive little boy,” reflecting the sorrow felt throughout the community.
This incident marks yet another tragic event in the long history of school shootings in the United States, from Newtown, Connecticut, to Parkland, Florida, and Uvalde, Texas. These tragedies have reignited the national debate over gun control, yet significant changes to gun laws have yet to materialize.
In a chilling turn of events, it was revealed that Colt Gray had been questioned by authorities last year following a menacing social media post that allegedly threatened a school shooting. According to a report from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, conflicting evidence prevented authorities from arresting at the time. Sheriff Janis Mangum reviewed the report and stated, “There was nothing that justified bringing charges back then.”
The Apalachee High School shooting marks the 30th mass killing in the U.S. in 2024, according to data compiled by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. To date, at least 127 people have lost their lives in these mass killings, which are defined by the FBI as incidents in which four or more people are killed within a 24-hour period, excluding the perpetrator.
As the community mourns and both the father and son await further court proceedings, the case stands as a grim reminder of the ongoing debate over firearm access, parental responsibility, and school safety in America.
Gary P Hernal started college at UP Diliman and received his BA in Economics from San Sebastian College, Manila, and Masters in Information Systems Management from Keller Graduate School of Management of DeVry University in Oak Brook, IL. He has 25 years of copy editing and management experience at Thomson West, a subsidiary of Thomson Reuters.
