The mother of 14-year-old Colt Gray, who has been charged with murder for a shooting at his Georgia high school that left four people dead, contacted the school before the incident, warning of an “extreme emergency” involving her son. The mother, who spoke with a school counselor, urged staff to find Colt and check on him immediately. A call log from the family’s shared phone plan showed a call was made to the school about 30 minutes before the shooting took place. Colt’s father has also been charged with second-degree murder for providing his son with a semiautomatic rifle.
According to a transcript of an interview with Jackson County sheriff’s investigator Daniel Miller, Colt Gray’s father stated that his son had struggled with his parents’ separation and bullying from classmates. The authorities had previously looked into a threat posted on Discord, a social media site, but concluded there wasn’t clear evidence linking Colt to the threat. The records from the investigation provide insight into Colt’s struggles with his parents’ breakup and difficulties at school, where he was frequently taunted by other students.
Colin Gray, Colt’s father, described his son as someone who gets flustered and doesn’t think straight under pressure. He spoke of his son’s experiences in middle school, where the boy had few friends and was often picked on by classmates. Gray mentioned that Colt was frequently ridiculed and touched by other students, which escalated to a point where it affected his performance in school. The father encouraged outdoor activities like shooting guns and hunting, and expressed pride when Colt shot his first deer.
In 2022, the Gray family was evicted from their rental home, causing a disruption in their family dynamic. The eviction led to Colt’s mother leaving with the younger siblings, leaving Colt and his father to cope with the separation. Colin Gray insisted that he had paid his rent, but the reason for the eviction was not disclosed in the report. The family’s belongings, including guns and hunting bows, were packed by a moving crew, and the weapons were handed over to the authorities for safekeeping.
Despite the turmoil in his family life, Colt Gray was described as a quiet, calm, and reserved 13-year-old in an interview with the sheriff’s investigator. He denied making any threats, claiming his account on Discord had been hacked. The teenager clarified that he had stopped using the platform where the threat was posted and only used TikTok to watch videos. His father reiterated to the investigator that Colt wasn’t the type to make violent threats, emphasizing his own role in teaching his son about the seriousness of weapons and safety protocols.
Colt Gray’s parents’ separation, eviction from their home, and his struggles with bullying at school paint a complex picture of a young teenager facing challenges in his personal life. The warning given by Colt’s mother to the school before the shooting highlights the family’s efforts to address issues that were affecting Colt’s well-being. The tragic events at Apalachee High School shed light on the impact of domestic turmoil and bullying on a young individual’s mental health and behavior, sparking conversations about the importance of early intervention and support for at-risk youth.
