A few notes from our 8 p.m. news conference today:
Colin Gray was arrested on multiple charges earlier today. He knowingly allowed his son, Colt, to have the weapon.
This is a very difficult time for students & parents and many are afraid. You’ve likely seen reports of incidents of other students making threats today at various schools around the state. In each of these incidents, police took charges and made arrests as we take each matter seriously.
This is a time for us a state to come together & remain vigilant. Students must be supported and encouraged to contact a member of school faculty with all concerns of suspicious activity.
In coordination with District Attorney Brad Smith, the GBI has arrested Colin Gray, age 54, in connection to the shooting at Apalachee High School. Colin is Colt Gray’s father.
He is charged with the following:
– 4 counts of Involuntary Manslaughter
– 2 counts of Second Degree Murder
– 8 counts of Cruelty to Children
UPDATE #2 – September 5, 2024:
Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder in connection to the shooting at Apalachee High School yesterday. He was taken to the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center. Additional charges are expected. Gray’s first appearance will be tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m.
The autopsies of the four victims will be performed today at the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office.
The investigation into the shooting at Apalachee High School is still active and ongoing. This is day 2 of a very complex investigation, and the integrity of the case is paramount. We ask for the public’s patience as we work to ensure a successful prosecution and justice for the victims.
UPDATE #1 – September 4, 2024:
Two students and two teachers died in the shooting at Apalachee High School earlier today. They have been identified as:
– Mason Schermerhorn, age 14 (Student)
– Christian Angulo, age 14 (Student)
– Richard Aspinwall, age 39 (Teacher)
– Cristina Irimie, age 53 (Teacher)
A few important points mentioned during our 9 p.m. news conference:
– At this time, there is no evidence to suggest that there were additional shooters. Investigators are actively pursuing all leads regarding any potential associates of the shooter.
– There is no evidence of a list of schools being targeted; however, there is a lot of evidence that is being recovered and evaluated. Investigators are diligently reviewing leads to determine if there are any active threats.
– There was a call to another local high school this morning with a reported threat. Police responded, investigated, and determined there was no threat.
ORIGINAL RELEASE September 4, 2024:
At the request of the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, GBI agents are investigating a school shooting in Barrow County, GA. Two Apalachee High School students and two teachers were killed in the incident. Nine additional people (8 students, 1 teacher) were injured and taken to various hospitals with injuries. Colt Gray, age 14, has been arrested and charged with murder.
The preliminary information indicates on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at about 10:20 a.m., Barrow County authorities received alerts about reports of an active shooter. Radio chatter from an Apalachee High School resource officer also indicated an active shooter. Within minutes, law enforcement was on scene. Once on scene, law enforcement immediately located Gray. Gray surrendered immediately and was taken into custody.
This investigation is active and ongoing. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online, or by downloading the See Something, Send Something mobile app.
Once the investigation is complete, the case file will be given to the Piedmont Judicial Circuit for prosecution.
FBI Atlanta Statement on Incident at Apalachee High School:
Update: September 4, 2024, 8:12 p.m. EST:
To confirm, the subject referred to as the 13-year-old is the same subject in custody related to today’s shootings at Apalachee High School.
Update: September 4, 2024, 7:49 p.m. EST:
FBI Atlanta responded earlier today to Apalachee High School following reports of an active shooter. Throughout the day, FBI personnel have been coordinating with and supporting local and state law enforcement. The FBI will dedicate all available resources, as requested, to seek justice and bring closure for the victims and their families.
In May 2023, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center received several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time. The online threats contained photographs of guns. Within 24 hours, the FBI determined the online post originated in Georgia, and the FBI’s Atlanta Field Office referred the information to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office for action.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office located a possible subject, a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father. The father stated he had hunting guns in the house, but the subject did not have unsupervised access to them. The subject denied making the threats online. Jackson County alerted local schools for continued monitoring of the subject.
At that time, there was no probable cause for arrest or to take any additional law enforcement action on the local, state, or federal levels.
Initial Statement:
FBI Atlanta is aware of the current situation at Apalachee High School in Barrow County.
Our agents are on scene coordinating with and supporting local law enforcement.
