Investigators revealed Colt used an AR-15-style rifle within the assault, a firearm bought by his father as a Christmas present. As per the report by the Publish, the rifle was given from father to son as a present simply seven months after authorities paid the pair a go to in Might when the FBI acquired recommendations on on-line faculty taking pictures threats.
No proof present in earlier risk investigation
The teenager was interviewed after the sheriff acquired a tip from the FBI that Grey, then 13, “had presumably threatened to shoot up a center faculty tomorrow.” The risk was made on Discord, a social media platform fashionable with video avid gamers, in accordance with the sheriff’s workplace incident report.
Regardless of previous investigations into threats made by Colt on-line, regulation enforcement had discovered no substantial proof to behave on the time.
Sheriff Janis Mangum defined the sooner investigation: “The case was labored completely final 12 months, however on the time, the proof wasn’t robust sufficient to confiscate their weapons.”
Colin had assured authorities that his son had no unsupervised entry to the household’s searching weapons, however that assurance has since confirmed tragically inadequate.
FBI tip and teenage’s denial: Key particulars emerged
The FBI’s tip pointed to a Discord account related to an electronic mail deal with linked to Colt Grey, the report stated. However the boy stated “he would by no means say such a factor, even in a joking method,” in accordance with the investigator’s report.
The interview transcript quotes the teenager as saying: “I promise I might by no means say one thing the place …” with the remainder of that denial listed as inaudible.
“He is aware of the seriousness of weapons and what they will do, and learn how to use them and never use them,” the daddy, Colin Grey, stated in accordance with a transcript obtained from the sheriff’s workplace.
Authorities at the moment are specializing in how Colt accessed the weapon and whether or not earlier warning indicators might have prevented the assault.
Violent assault with semiautomatic weapon
Authorities have now charged Colt as an grownup with homicide, accusing him of utilizing a semiautomatic rifle to kill 4 and injure 9 others. He had a historical past of struggling together with his guardian’s separation and was typically bullied, his father instructed investigators final 12 months. Regardless of these points, the teenager regularly went searching together with his father, who described the “best day ever” when Colt shot his first deer.
Questions over missed warnings and entry to weapons
Colt and his father had been interviewed after the FBI tipped authorities concerning the teen presumably threatening to shoot up a college. The investigator’s report famous inconsistencies, together with the truth that the Discord account had been accessed in a number of areas, together with Buffalo, New York, and featured profile particulars written in Russian. Regardless of the regarding habits, no arrests had been made attributable to an absence of proof.
Colin Grey, Colt’s father, admitted that weapons had been accessible of their dwelling, however claimed they had been unloaded. Colt had been photographed with blood smeared on his cheeks from searching journeys, additional emphasizing the household’s publicity to firearms.
How the assault unfolded
The taking pictures started when Colt left his Algebra class and tried to re-enter, however a pupil noticed the gun and refused to let him in. He then turned to a close-by classroom and opened hearth, firing 10 to fifteen rounds.
“I feel he wished to return to us first,” His classmate, Lyela Sayarath, stated, reported CNN.
The primary studies of an energetic shooter got here in at round 10:20 am (native time) Faculty useful resource officers and regulation enforcement shortly responded, and Colt was taken into custody after a short confrontation.
“I heard gunshots outdoors my classroom and folks screaming, folks begging to not get shot,” stated 14-year-old Macey Proper. “After which folks sitting beside me (had been) simply shaking and crying.”
The mass taking pictures at Apalachee Excessive Faculty marks the thirtieth such incident within the US this 12 months.
The victims
The taking pictures claimed the lives of two 14-year-old college students, Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, in addition to two beloved lecturers, math instructor Christina Irimie and assistant soccer coach Richard Aspinwall.
“We’re really heartbroken,” Christian’s older sister, Lisette Angulo, shared on a GoFundMe web page to assist the household.
Apalachee Soccer additionally expressed their grief for Aspinwall: “To our beloved defensive coordinator Ricky Aspinwall, we are going to carry you heavy in our hearts.”
Teen accused of faculty taking pictures was interviewed final 12 months
Colt Grey, the 14-year-old accused of finishing up the lethal taking pictures at Apalachee Excessive Faculty, had denied ever threatening a college assault when interviewed by authorities in 2023. Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum defended the investigation from final 12 months, saying, “We didn’t drop the ball in any respect on this. We did all we might do with what we had on the time.” The interview adopted an FBI tip a few risk made on Discord, however conflicting proof prevented an arrest.
Faculty’s response
The school’s fast actions, paired with newly applied security protocols just like the Centegix alert system, seemingly prevented the tragedy from being even worse. “The protocols on this faculty and this technique activated right now prevented this from being a a lot bigger tragedy than what we had,” stated Georgia Bureau of Investigations Director Chris Hosey.
The mass taking pictures at Apalachee Excessive Faculty marks the thirtieth such incident within the US this 12 months.
Previous threats and investigations
Colt had beforehand been investigated for threats made on-line in 2023, together with an ominous reference to Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza. Whereas each Colt and his father denied any intent to commit violence, the case was closed attributable to inadequate proof.
“The 13-year-old denied making the threats on-line,” Sheriff Mangum stated in a Fb publish. Nonetheless, the current tragedy has reopened scrutiny into whether or not sufficient was executed on the time.
Subsequent steps
Colt Grey, presently in custody, is being held with out bond and will likely be tried as an grownup on expenses of felony homicide. His first court docket look is ready for Friday, and investigators are piecing collectively how the gun was introduced to high school and if anybody else was concerned in planning the assault.
Because the Apalachee Excessive Faculty group grapples with the shock of the incident, college students like Macey categorical their fears about returning to high school. “I actually don’t need to return. I really feel like I shouldn’t have to return to high school worrying about dying.”