The mother of Colt Gray, the 14-year-old suspect in the recent shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia, contacted the school to alert them of an “extreme emergency” involving her son just half an hour before the attack. Reports indicate that both Colt’s mother, Marcee Gray, and his grandmother had communicated with school officials prior to the tragic incident.
Colt Gray is accused of carrying out a shooting that resulted in the deaths of four individuals, including two students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, as well as teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie.
He faces four counts of first-degree murder. In addition, his father, Colin Gray, has been charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter, and child cruelty for allegedly allowing his son access to an AR-15 style rifle.
Text messages obtained by The Washington Post reveal that Marcee Gray informed her sister about her attempts to reach out to the school. She stated, “I was the one that notified the school counselor at the high school. I told them it was an extreme emergency and for them to go immediately and find [my son] to check on him.” The reasons for her urgent call remain unclear.
Annie Brown, Colt’s aunt, provided the text messages and call logs to the media, confirming that Marcee Gray called the school approximately 30 minutes before the shooting began. However, there was confusion when a school administrator attempted to locate Colt, as another student had a similar name.
Colt’s grandfather, Charlie Polhamus, mentioned that the boy’s grandmother had also spoken with school officials earlier that week regarding Colt’s difficulties with attendance. He noted that she had visited the school to seek help for him.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is overseeing the case, but they have not commented on the situation. The Barrow County School System has also refrained from making public statements.
In the months leading up to the shooting, Colt reportedly faced mental health challenges and bullying at school, as shared by family members. The FBI had previously interviewed him in May 2023 concerning anonymous online threats to commit a school shooting, which he denied.
Vigils have been held to honor the victims, with mourners creating memorials of flowers, candles, and balloons outside Apalachee High School. The incident has reignited discussions about gun safety and mental health support in schools, particularly as the community grapples with the aftermath of this tragedy.
