Father of suspected Apalachee HS shooter arrested, charged in connection with shooting

Up to date September 05, 2024 at 21:17 PM ET

The daddy of the 14-year-old boy who’s accused of killing 4 folks and injuring 9 others at Apalachee Excessive Faculty in Winder, Ga., has been arrested in reference to Wednesday’s capturing, based on the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

The suspect’s father, Colin Grey, 54, has been charged with 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree homicide, and eight counts of cruelty to youngsters.

GBI Director Chris Hosey informed reporters Thursday that the costs in opposition to Grey stem from him allegedly “knowingly permitting” the 14-year-old suspect to have a weapon.

“His prices are straight linked with the actions of his son and permitting him to own a weapon,” Hosey mentioned.

Earlier Thursday, the 14-year-old suspect was formally charged with 4 counts of felony homicide. In a publish on X, the GBI mentioned extra prices are anticipated to be filed in opposition to the boy, whom NPR is just not naming due to his age, and till a choose has to agreed to cost him as an grownup. (The GBI informed reporters following the capturing that officers intend to strive the alleged shooter as an grownup.)

The suspect is at the moment being held on the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Heart, the place his first courtroom look is scheduled just about for Friday at 8:30 a.m.

“The investigation into the capturing at Apalachee HS continues to be energetic & ongoing,” the GBI mentioned.

Two academics and two college students have been killed. The GBI has recognized these killed as college students Christian Angulo, 14, and Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and academics Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.

Autopsies shall be carried out on the 4 victims Thursday, the GBI mentioned.

The 9 folks wounded within the capturing are all anticipated to make a full restoration, Barrow County, Ga., Sheriff Jud Smith informed reporters Thursday night.

“And that’s a testomony to the response that we had, for my part, the response that medical employees had,” Smith mentioned throughout Thursday’s information convention.

The suspect was taken into custody on the college.

Investigators described the gun used within the capturing as an “AR-style platform weapon.”

The GBI mentioned Thursday that the investigation is “nonetheless energetic & ongoing.”

“That is day 2 of a really advanced investigation & the integrity of the case is paramount,” the company wrote on X. “We ask for the general public’s persistence as we work to make sure a profitable prosecution & justice for the victims.”

The FBI had beforehand investigated the suspected shooter

In a publish on X, the FBI mentioned that in Might 2023 it acquired “a number of nameless recommendations on on-line threats to commit a college capturing at an unidentified location and time,” and that the threats contained images of weapons.

The FBI mentioned the sheriff’s workplace in close by Jackson County recognized “a attainable topic,” a 13-year-old male, and interviewed him and his father.

“The daddy acknowledged he had searching weapons in the home, however the topic didn’t have unsupervised entry to them. The topic denied making the threats on-line,” the FBI mentioned.

The FBI mentioned native faculties have been alerted to proceed monitoring the topic, however that there have been no robust grounds for an arrest or extra legislation enforcement motion. The company confirmed that {the teenager} was the one who was taken into custody after Wednesday’s capturing.

A chunk of expertise helped with the short response to the capturing

Smith credited Centegix — an emergency alert expertise — for alerting first responders to Wednesday’s capturing.

WABE: Metro Atlanta college districts problem precautions following Apalachee Excessive Faculty capturing

The Atlanta-based firm produces a credit score card-sized ID that may be worn on a lanyard. The ID has a button that employees can press to instantly alert the varsity, different employees, and legislation enforcement about well being or questions of safety that happen on campus, NPR member station WABE reported.

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