TOI World Desk
A 14-year-old Georgia teenager, Colt Gray, and his father, Colin Gray, 54, have been charged in the fatal shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, which claimed the lives of two students and two teachers. Nine others were injured, with seven suffering gunshot wounds. The shooting has drawn attention to Colt’s troubled home life, his family’s instability, and the role of his father.
Colt’s upbringing was marked by instability, moving between several rental homes in a short period of time.His parents’ divorce in May 2022 further contributed to this turmoil. Following the separation, Colt lived with his father while his two younger siblings moved in with their mother, Marcee Gray. According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, the family had been evicted from a rental property in Jefferson, Georgia, in 2022. They later lived in another rental home in the same town before relocating again.
Neighbors told Fox News Digital that the Grays stayed in their Jefferson home for only “a couple of months.” These frequent relocations and family disruptions left Colt struggling to find stability.
Bullying and school struggles
Police interview transcripts from 2023 reveal that Colt experienced significant bullying at school. According to his father, the teen was “picked on and ridiculed” by classmates at West Jackson Middle School before transferring to Jefferson Middle School, where the situation slightly improved.
In the interview, Colin Gray explained how his son was mocked for trying to join the school’s golf team. He recalled, “I was trying to get him on the golf team … like, ‘Oh look, Colt’s gay. He’s dating that guy.’ Just ridiculed him day after day after day.” The constant bullying left Colt isolated and emotionally distressed. Despite the challenges, his father tried to encourage him to engage in outdoor activities, such as hunting, to cope with the situation.
Father’s influence and firearm access
In May 2023, police investigated Colt after he allegedly made threats to shoot up his middle school. During a police interview, Colin Gray denied knowledge of the threats but admitted that both he and his son spent time shooting and hunting. Colin described these activities as bonding experiences, even showing investigators a photo of Colt after shooting his first deer.
Despite these reassurances, authorities discovered that Colin had provided Colt with a semiautomatic AR-15-style rifle, the same weapon used in the Apalachee High School shooting. Colin Gray is now facing second-degree murder charges for giving the firearm to his son, despite knowing that Colt posed a threat to himself and others.
Family Tensions and legal issues
The family dynamic worsened in November 2023 when Colt’s mother, Marcee Gray, was arrested for vandalizing her ex-husband’s truck in a violent outburst. Court documents revealed that police found methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other illegal substances in her vehicle during her arrest. She was later prosecuted under Georgia’s First Offender Act, serving 46 days in jail and receiving probation for five years.
Under the conditions of her probation, Marcee was prohibited from contacting Colin Gray directly, with any communication regarding their children to be made through a third party.
Both Colt and his father now face serious charges for their involvement in the Apalachee High School shooting. The case highlights the impact of Colt’s unstable home life, ongoing bullying, and family tension. The father and son appeared in court for the first time in September 2023, where their attorneys declined to seek immediate bail.
Colt’s upbringing was marked by instability, moving between several rental homes in a short period of time.His parents’ divorce in May 2022 further contributed to this turmoil. Following the separation, Colt lived with his father while his two younger siblings moved in with their mother, Marcee Gray. According to court documents obtained by Fox News Digital, the family had been evicted from a rental property in Jefferson, Georgia, in 2022. They later lived in another rental home in the same town before relocating again.
Neighbors told Fox News Digital that the Grays stayed in their Jefferson home for only “a couple of months.” These frequent relocations and family disruptions left Colt struggling to find stability.
Bullying and school struggles
Police interview transcripts from 2023 reveal that Colt experienced significant bullying at school. According to his father, the teen was “picked on and ridiculed” by classmates at West Jackson Middle School before transferring to Jefferson Middle School, where the situation slightly improved.
In the interview, Colin Gray explained how his son was mocked for trying to join the school’s golf team. He recalled, “I was trying to get him on the golf team … like, ‘Oh look, Colt’s gay. He’s dating that guy.’ Just ridiculed him day after day after day.” The constant bullying left Colt isolated and emotionally distressed. Despite the challenges, his father tried to encourage him to engage in outdoor activities, such as hunting, to cope with the situation.
Father’s influence and firearm access
In May 2023, police investigated Colt after he allegedly made threats to shoot up his middle school. During a police interview, Colin Gray denied knowledge of the threats but admitted that both he and his son spent time shooting and hunting. Colin described these activities as bonding experiences, even showing investigators a photo of Colt after shooting his first deer.
Despite these reassurances, authorities discovered that Colin had provided Colt with a semiautomatic AR-15-style rifle, the same weapon used in the Apalachee High School shooting. Colin Gray is now facing second-degree murder charges for giving the firearm to his son, despite knowing that Colt posed a threat to himself and others.
Family Tensions and legal issues
The family dynamic worsened in November 2023 when Colt’s mother, Marcee Gray, was arrested for vandalizing her ex-husband’s truck in a violent outburst. Court documents revealed that police found methamphetamine, fentanyl, and other illegal substances in her vehicle during her arrest. She was later prosecuted under Georgia’s First Offender Act, serving 46 days in jail and receiving probation for five years.
Under the conditions of her probation, Marcee was prohibited from contacting Colin Gray directly, with any communication regarding their children to be made through a third party.
Both Colt and his father now face serious charges for their involvement in the Apalachee High School shooting. The case highlights the impact of Colt’s unstable home life, ongoing bullying, and family tension. The father and son appeared in court for the first time in September 2023, where their attorneys declined to seek immediate bail.