Apalachee High School Shooter’s Father Charged; Everytown for Gun Safety Responds

Arrest of Colin Gray Comes Months After Jennifer and James Crumbley, Parents of Oxford High School Shooter, Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter

NEW YORK – Following Wednesday’s deadly shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, where a 14-year-old shot and killed two adults and two children and wounded nine others, law enforcement has charged the father of the shooter, Colin Gray, with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.

According to reports, Mr. Gray purchased the shooter’s AR-15-style assault weapon in December 2023, roughly five months after law enforcement launched an investigation into the shooter for making online threats. It’s also been reported that law enforcement officials found evidence of the suspect’s interest in mass shootings — particularly the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida — during a search of his room. 

“The fact that Mr. Gray bought his son a weapon of war as a present — months after being investigated for making threats to shoot up a school — is a complete and utter dereliction of responsibility, both as a gun owner and a community member,” said Nick Suplina, Senior Vice President for Law and Policy at Everytown for Gun Safety. “Earlier this year, juries in Michigan found both Jennifer and James Crumbley guilty of manslaughter for their extreme recklessness in failing to prevent their unwell son from accessing a gun, showing that parents can — and should — be held responsible when they disregard public safety. That verdict should have sent a clear message to people like Mr. Gray, but unfortunately for the victims and their families, he did not heed that message to prevent a tragedy.”

In egregious cases, there is precedent for holding parents accountable in the wake of mass shootings committed by their children. Earlier this year, juries in Michigan convicted both Jennifer and James Crumbley of involuntary manslaughter, the first time the parents of a shooter have been held criminally liable. The Crumbleys purchased a pistol for their son as a gift just days before he used it to carry out the mass shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan. 

It is disturbingly common for the perpetrators of mass shootings to have a history of demonstrated interest in past shootings, especially online. Last month, Everytown and Moonshot released a new report exploring the valorization of mass shootings online. The report found that content valorizing mass shootings is easily accessible, and popular sites like YouTube host content about mass shootings that can facilitate a deeper interest and concerning behaviors. These behaviors have been commonly reported among historic perpetrators of mass shootings, who have often been motivated by anger or resentment towards society — which can be exacerbated by extremist narratives. 

To speak with a policy expert about parental accountability in the wake of mass shootings, please contact [email protected]