A 14-year-old boy has been identified as the suspect in the deadliest school shooting of the year, which left four people dead and nine others injured at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, according to authorities.
The alleged shooter, Colt Gray, is accused of opening fire on Wednesday morning in the small town about an hour northeast of Atlanta, home to roughly 20,000 residents. Police arrived swiftly on the scene and confronted Gray, who surrendered without further incident. Authorities have stated that he will be charged with murder and tried as an adult.
The victims of the shooting include two students and two teachers: Mason Schermerhorn, 14, Christian Angulo, 14, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.
Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, confirmed that the weapon used was an AR-platform style firearm, and officials are currently investigating how Gray obtained it. Last year, local authorities had interviewed Gray and his father after Gray allegedly made threats on Discord to carry out a school shooting. However, no charges were filed at that time due to a lack of probable cause.
Suspect Previously Investigated for Online Threats, FBI Reports
Law enforcement had already been alerted to Gray’s behavior after several anonymous tips were reported to the FBI last year, suggesting he had made threats online to attack a school. The threats, sent from as far away as California and Australia, indicated that a Discord user had posted images of guns alongside violent statements.
Reports obtained by USA TODAY reveal that Gray’s Discord profile was in Russian characters, translating to “Lanza”—a reference to Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.
When interviewed by investigators, Gray denied making the threats and claimed to have deleted his Discord account. “Colt expressed concern that someone is accusing him of threatening to shoot up a school, stating that he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner,” the report noted. At the time, Gray was 13 years old and was described as “calm and reserved.”
Gray’s father told authorities that while there were hunting rifles in the home, his son did not have unrestricted access to them. He also noted that neither he nor his son spoke Russian, and the email address linked to the Discord account was unfamiliar to them.
“Due to inconsistencies in the information provided to the FBI, there is no substantiated evidence linking Colt or his father to the Discord account that made the threat,” a report from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office stated, leading to the case being closed without further action.
Investigators Yet to Establish a Motive
Officials have not yet determined a clear motive for the shooting. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith emphasized that the investigation is still in its early stages and described the scene as “an evil thing.” He also mentioned that there appeared to be no direct connection between Gray and his victims.
Authorities Pursue Various Leads
In addition to the previous online threats, investigators are exploring Gray’s connections, if any, to potential accomplices and are also reviewing past interactions between Gray, his family, and child protective services.
Chris Hosey, speaking to reporters, confirmed that there is no current evidence of additional shooters, but authorities will continue to follow all leads to rule out any possible involvement of associates.
“We’re actively pursuing any information that could link potential associates to the incident,” Hosey said. He further noted that investigators are also examining prior contacts that Georgia’s Department of Family and Children Services had with Gray and his family to determine any possible connections to the shooting.
Court Appearance Scheduled for Friday
Gray is currently being held at the Regional Youth Detention Center in Gainesville. Glenn Allen, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice, stated that Gray will make his first court appearance virtually on Friday at 8:30 a.m. It remains unclear whether Gray has legal representation at this time.
Schools across Barrow County have suspended classes for the remainder of the week while officials work to assess any ongoing threats to other schools within the county and the wider state of Georgia.
