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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
ARTICLE VIEW:
Father of Georgia school shooter knew of son’s deteriorating state,
say investigators, who found notebook with disturbing drawings
By Cindy Von Quednow and Phil Gast, CNN
Updated:
8:12 PM EDT, Wed October 16, 2024
Source: CNN
Colin Gray, the father of the teenager at a Georgia high school, knew
of his son’s deteriorating mental state and his fascination with
campus shootings, investigators testified Wednesday during a hearing
that elicited troubllng new details of what led up to the rampage.
Chilling details were revealed at a preliminary hearing for Colin Gray
about what was found in the Gray home on September 4 – the day of the
Apalachee High School shooting – including a notebook containing
drawings by Colt Gray depicting stick figures with wounds. “Shoot the
teacher first” was written next to the images.
Prosecutors called investigators to the stand in a Barrow County
courtroom to buttress their contention the father bought his son the
weapon used in the shooting as a Christmas gift and continued to buy
accessories, a tactical vest and ammunition despite knowing his
volatile son was dealing with anger and anxiety.
Investigators painted a picture of a home where clues pointing to
potential violence were overlooked or not sufficiently addressed.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation special agent Kelsey Ward said Colt
made a shrine to school shootings, including at least one photo of the
Parkland, Florida, shooter.
And a note found in the gaming room said, “Forgive me. It is out of
my control. See you.”
Ultimately, a magistrate judge ruled there is enough probable cause for
Colin Gray, who was shackled and wearing an orange and white jail
jumpsuit, to stand trial for the charges against him: four counts of
involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight
counts of cruelty to children.
The case marks just in America a parent has been charged in
connection with by a minor, former federal prosecutor Jeffrey Toobin
said.
CNN has reached out to Colin Gray’s attorneys for comment. They
called no witnesses in the hearing, but did question the investigators
about statements indicating Colin Gray did file a school form asking
for help for Colt.
Colt Gray, 14, meanwhile, will be tried as an adult, authorities have
said. He faces four counts of felony murder. He told investigators “I
did it” while being questioned, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith
previously told CNN.
A fascination with guns, school shootings
Ward testified Colt Gray detailed in notebooks his plans for what he
intended to do at Apalachee High School.
During an interview after the shooting, which left nine injured, Colin
Gray described in detail about time spent trying to get his son
involved in a hobby he enjoyed: hunting and shooting.
Drawings in notebooks found in the home detailed how Colt Gray would
carry out a shooting using stick figures that would end in his death by
suicide, investigators testified.
The teen left letters in his gaming room in “plain sight” telling
his parents it’s not their fault and asking for their forgiveness,
Ward testified. Colt Gray described himself in the notebooks as being
“depressed,” “delirious” and “eager to die.”
Of the shrine, Ward said newspaper clippings of mourning students and
Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz were mounted with thumbtacks on a
wall. When Colin Gray asked his son who that was, Colt Gray explained
and the topic was “dropped” after that.
Ward testified during an interview with Colt Gray’s mother, Marcee
Gray, she said her son made joking comments about school shootings and
had asked his father to buy a shooter mask because he had to “finish
up” his “school shooter outfit.”
Marcee Gray said her son’s fascination with guns had gotten “very
bad,” Ward testified.
Attempts to get teen help went nowhere
Investigators testified Colin Gray was in touch with school staff in
the weeks before the shooting about his son’s need for counseling and
sent in a form, but failed to follow up and ensure his son made
appointments. A school counselor said Colin Gray indicated he may not
be able to afford the care.
Colin Gray had filled out and submitted a form for school counseling
after a campus official expressed concern, but Colt Gray did not show
up to school on those days for counseling leading up to the shooting,
Ward said.
Additionally, Colin Gray did not follow up with counseling services
offered by an outside organization. When asked about it, Colin Gray
said it was a matter of getting his insurance sorted, Ward said.
The Grays intended to take Colt Gray to counseling services in Athens,
Georgia, but an argument the day before between his parents led to
those plans falling apart, Ward said.
On the day of the shooting, Colin and Marcee Gray received concerning
text messages from Colt sent just minutes before the first shots were
fired. Colt allegedly texted his father it was not his fault and
“I’m sorry” to his mother.
And while Marcee Gray called Apalachee pleading for staff to find her
son, Colin Gray did not call.
Colin Gray received texts from his younger daughter saying her middle
school was on lockdown. After becoming concerned, Colin Gray went home
early from work, turned on the TV and saw the shooting had taken place
at his son’s school.
When Barrow County sheriff’s deputies showed up at his door that day,
Colin Gray said in a “not very surprised matter” he had received a
text from his daughter and said out loud to the deputies, “God
almighty, please tell me that your brother didn’t do something,”
Ward testified.
Colin Gray did not appear remorseful after the deputies showed up, Ward
testified.
During a separate interview, Colin Gray told Ward Colt had the rifle in
his room, propped up against a guitar in the corner, for a week leading
up to the shooting, it was no longer there when he had returned home
from work.
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