A police bodycam video of law enforcement’s interaction with the father of the alleged Georgia school shooter has been released, showing a critical detail that foreshadowed the massacre.
The video showed deputies from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office speaking to Colin Gray, father of alleged Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, in May 2023.
Deputies were then investigating a threat made online, allegedly by the younger Gray, to commit a school shooting. Pursuit of the case was ultimately dropped.
In the 2023 video, JCSO deputies approached the Gray home and questioned Colin Gray about his son and any weapons in the home.
“They’re saying that somebody from your old address … had made a threat to shoot up a school,” a deputy told Gray
Gray expressed disbelief and told deputies about his then-13-year-old son. The next question from deputies resulted in an answer that should have been a major red flag in this case.
“Do you have weapons in the house?” a deputy asked.
Gray not only confirmed the presence of firearms, but admitted they were accessible to the troubled teen.
“Yeah they are [accessible to him],” Gray told deputies, adding “I mean there’s nothing loaded, but they are down.
“We actually do a lot of shooting. We do a lot of deer hunting. He shot his first deer this year,” Gray said. “So, like, I’m pretty much in shock to be honest with you. I’m a little pissed off to be even really honest with you.”
Gray said he would secure firearms in the home if the threat allegations proved to be true.
“I don’t know anything about him saying s*** like that, but I’m going to be mad as hell if he did,” Gray said. “And then all the guns will go away, and they won’t be accessible to him.”
Gray said he was trying to teach his son about “firearms and safety.”
The father left and returned with Colt Gray later in the video. The teen, rocking side to side and with hands in his pockets, denied being responsible for the school shooting postings.
Watch the video of the encounter below.
🚨UPDATE: Police body-cam footage shows Georgia school shooter colt Gray and his father being questioned after Gray threatened to shoot up a middle school in 2023.
In 2023, body-cam footage captured a police interaction with Colt Gray and his father, Colin Gray, for an… pic.twitter.com/oedm7uBe0K
— Kacee Allen (@KaceeRAllen) September 10, 2024
Gray’s home life and apparent family problems are taking center stage as the country struggles to figure out what drove the teen to open fire in a crowded school.
While the shooter bears ultimate responsibility, signs point to the disaster being driven by a chaotic and abusive home life of a bullied, confused teen who had unfettered access to firearms.
One former neighbor said the Gray home was full of “constant abuse.”
“There were nights where the mom would lock him and his sister out the house,” the neighbor said. “And they would be banging on the back door, just screaming like ‘Mom! mom! mom!’ and crying. It was absolutely devastating.”
Four people were killed in the Winder, Georgia, school shooting.
Colt Gray is being charged as an adult with four counts of murder for the deaths of Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14; Richard Aspinwall, 39; and Cristina Irimie, 53.
Colin Gray, whose reckless storage of firearms appears to be a key factor in this case, has been arrested and charged with 14 counts related to murderous spree his son allegedly committed.
The father’s charges include two counts for second-degree murder, eight counts of cruelty to children and four counts of manslaughter.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.