Authorities in the US state of Georgia on Thursday (Sept 5) arrested the father of the 14-year-old suspected school shooter Colt Gray in connection with Wednesday’s shooting that killed four people and wounded nine at Apalachee High School in Winder.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, 54-year-old Colin Gray was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
“These charges stem from Mr Gray knowingly allowing his son Colt to possess a weapon,” Chris Hosey, director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, told reporters.
‘Will continue to work tirelessly to complete probe’
Chris told reporters that the investigation bureau would continue to work tirelessly to complete this investigation as it moved forward. Citing officials, a report by the news agency Reuters said that Colt was charged with four counts of felony murder and would be tried as an adult.
On Wednesday, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said that both father and son had been questioned by local officials in neighbouring Jackson County last year in connection with an online threat to commit a school shooting, but there was no probable cause for their arrest.
During last year’s probe, Colin said he had hunting guns in the house but that his son did not have unsupervised access to them, and the son denied making the threats online.
‘Colt used AR platform-style weapon’
Investigators also said on Thursday that the younger Gray used an “AR platform style weapon,” or semiautomatic rifle, to carry out the attack in which two teachers and two 14-year-old students were killed.
It remained unclear how Colt obtained the weapon, and the cause of motivation (to carry out the attack) was also unknown.
(With inputs from agencies)
