### Father and Son Indicted in Apalachee High School Mass Shooting

A grand jury in Barrow County has handed down murder charges against a father and son in connection with the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School, Winder, Georgia. The indictments were announced on Thursday, revealing a comprehensive list of charges stemming from the tragic incident.

Fourteen-year-old Colt Gray faces a total of 55 counts, which include four counts each of malice murder and felony murder. Additional charges against him encompass aggravated assault and cruelty to children. His father, Colin Gray, has been indicted on 29 counts, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless conduct, according to confirmations by Deputy Court Clerk Missy Headrick.

The indictments, processed separately for both individuals, will become publicly available once the clerk's office completes its paperwork, likely by Friday. Both Colt and Colin Gray are scheduled for arraignment on November 21, where they are expected to enter their pleas. Currently, Colin Gray is held in Barrow County jail, while Colt Gray, charged as an adult but detained at a juvenile center in Gainesville, awaits trial. Neither has applied for bail, and their legal representatives have refrained from commenting.

During a recent preliminary hearing, investigators provided chilling details about the events of September 4. They testified Colt Gray smuggled a semiautomatic assault-style rifle onto a school bus, concealed in a poster board within his book bag. He later emerged from a bathroom with the weapon, opening fire in classrooms and hallways. The shooting resulted in the deaths of teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, along with two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. Additionally, one teacher and eight students were wounded, with seven suffering gunshot injuries.

Further investigations revealed meticulous planning by Colt Gray, including a notebook found in his classroom containing step-by-step instructions and a diagram of his second-period class. He estimated potentially killing 26 people and wounding 13 others, expressing surprise in his notes that he had come this far.

Prior signs of Colt Gray's troubled state had surfaced, including an online threat linked to him in May 2023, which he denied. His mother, Marcee Gray, had raised concerns about his mental health, noting severe anxiety attacks and suicidal thoughts reported to a school counselor. Marcee had even asked Colin Gray to restrict access to firearms, but instead, he purchased ammunition and shooting accessories for Colt.

The family's attempt to seek mental health treatment for Colt fell apart on August 31 due to an argument between his parents over his access to guns and a lack of gas money, further compounding the situation.

Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith highlighted Colin Gray's knowledge of his son's deteriorating mental health and obsession with school shooters during the preliminary hearing. Citing the example of Michigan parents Jennifer and James Crumbley, the DA pointed to Colin Gray’s responsibility in providing the firearms used in the attack, underlying the growing trend of holding parents accountable in such tragic events.