The Apalachee High School shooting in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024, left four people dead and nine others injured, becoming one of the most devastating school shootings in Georgia.
According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, authorities received reports of an active shooter at Apalachee High School at approximately 10:20 a.m. Law enforcement responded within minutes, and the suspect, 14-year-old Colt Gray, surrendered to officers and was taken into custody.
The four people killed were identified as students Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Eight additional students and one teacher were injured.
The GBI later confirmed that there was one shooter and no accomplices. Investigators also said there was no evidence at the time of a broader list of schools being targeted.
Investigation and Charges
Colt Gray was arrested and charged with murder in connection with the shooting. Because he was 14 at the time of the attack, the case proceeded through the juvenile justice system initially.
Investigators also charged his father, Colin Gray, in connection with the case. The GBI said Colin Gray was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. Authorities alleged that he knowingly allowed his son to possess the firearm used in the shooting.
The GBI later confirmed that the firearm allegedly used in the attack was the same weapon Colin Gray was accused of allowing his son to possess. Investigators said the criminal case remained active as authorities worked to build the prosecution.
The FBI also became involved in the investigation. The agency said it had previously received anonymous online threats in 2023 concerning a possible school shooting and had referred information to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office after determining that the threats originated in Georgia. The FBI stated that there had not been probable cause at that time for an arrest or additional law enforcement action.
