BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — Colt Gray will face more charges in connection to the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School shooting on Wednesday.
Colt Gray appeared in Barrow County Superior Court in person for a bond hearing on Friday morning. His attorney did not request bond and returned to the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center soon after.
On Thursday evening, Colin Gray, father of Apalachee High School mass shooting suspect Colt Gray was arrested and charged with murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children. He is expected to make his own court appearance later Friday morning.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that 4 people are dead and 9 have been hospitalized after a shooting at Apalachee High School Wednesday morning.
The GBI said two students and two teachers were among the dead. They’ve been identified as:
Mason Schermerhorn, 14
Christian Angelo, 14
Richard Aspinwall, 39
Christina Irimie, 53
The shooter has been identified as 14-year-old Colt Gray, who has been charged with murder and will be handled as an adult, according to the GBI. The FBI confirmed that Gray had been investigated for making school shooting threats last year, but was not arrested.
The GBI said Gray used an AR platform-style weapon.
According to the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office, nine other people were injured by gunshots. At least five others were treated for symptoms of anxiety/panic attacks.
The incident unfolded around 10:20 a.m. when officers from multiple agencies and Fire/EMS personnel were dispatched to the high school after reports of an active shooter. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, school resource officers quickly responded to the situation and the shooter surrendered to them.
Georgia State Patrol troopers, deputies from Barrow and Winder counties, and agents from the FBI and the GBI are assisting in the investigation.
LIVE UPDATES:
Friday, September 6, 2024
11:00 a.m.
District Attorney Brad Smith said Colt Gray will face more charges in the coming days. It’s unclear what those charges are.
9:15 a.m.
Collin Gray, father of accused shooter Colt Gray appears in court facing multiple charges including involuntary manslaughter and murder, could be sentenced to up to 180 years in prison
8:44 a.m.
Judge advises accused Apalachee shooter Colt Gray of charges and possible penalties including the death penalty, and life imprisonment with or without parole.
6:40 a.m.
Friday morning, accused school shooter Colt Gray will have his first appearance in court. The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice said that he would be appearing virtually at a Superior Court hearing in Barrow County from inside the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center.
Thursday, September 5,2024
8:00 p.m.
GBI Director Chris Hosey said Colin Gray “allowed” his son to possess the weapon used in the deadly school shooting in a news conference.
7:37 p.m.
The GBI has announced that they will be charging Colt Gray’s father, 54-year-old Colin Gray, with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
5:53 p.m.
Family identifies one of the surviving victims as Taylor Jones. She was life-flighted to Grady Memorial Hospital and is currently listed as stable.
5:06 p.m.
Governor Brian Kemp has ordered all flags across the state to be flown at half-staff until all four victims have been laid to rest.
1:57 p.m.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says Colt Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder.
The autopsies of the four victims will be performed today at the GBI Medical Examiner’s Office.
11:23 a.m.
WSB has confirmed that Colt Gray will appear in court on Friday morning.
6:20AM:
The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice stated that the Apalachee High School mass shooting suspect was taken into custody at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center. Despite being held at a youth detention center, the 14-year-old will be charged with murder and tried as an adult.
Wednesday, September 4, 2024
11:50PM:
GoFundMe links have been created for:
Apalachee High School Centralized Hub
Apalachee High School Shooting Victim’s Fund
9:14 p.m.
All patients at NGMC Barrow and Braselton that were injured have been treated and released. The patient at NGMC Gainesville is stable.
The GBI said they believe everyone else will survive the shooting.
9:13 p.m. Gov. Kemp thanked law enforcement, teachers, staff, SRO’s and everyone in the community who helped during this tragic event.
9:12 p.m. Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith thanked everyone who helped and asked for prayers for the Georgia community and those who were impacted by this tragedy. He added the School Resource Officers helped to prevent this from being a bigger tragedy. The investigation remains active and the GBI and sheriff’s office are collecting more evidence.
9:11 p.m. An AR Platform Style Weapon was used, according to Chris Hosey, Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
9:07 p.m.
The GBI has identified the victims who were killed as:
Mason Shermerhorn, 14
Christian Angelo, 14
Richard Aspinwall, 39
Christina Irimie, 53
9:04 p.m.
The GBI said there is no evidence there was any additional shooter, but agents are investigating the accused shooter’s associates.
9:02 p.m.
Gov. Brian Kemp is addressing the media for the first since four people were killed and nine were injured in a mass shooting at Apalachee High School.
“This hits home for us. Being from Athens just down the road, having a daughter that taught first grade just a few years ago, this is our worst nightmare,” Kemp said.
8:01 pm.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI Atlanta have released a statement saying that in May 2023, the FBI’s National Threat Operations Center got several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location. The threats, which were posted to an online gaming site, contained pictures of guns.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office located a possible subject, a 13-year-old boy, who denied making the threats. They spoke to the teen’s father, who said the family did own hunting rifles but the teen did not have access to guns. At the time, there was no probable cause for arrest.
The FBI has confirmed to Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Justin Gray that the 13-year-old was Colt Gray, the same teen arrested in connection to the shooting that killed four people at Apalachee High School.
7:35 p.m.
The GBI says they will update the media again tonight at 9 p.m.
7:00 p.m.
The Newton County Sheriff’s Office issued the following statement:
Our thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their loved ones, as well as with the students and teachers who have been deeply impacted by today’s events.
— Newton County, GA Sheriff's Office (@newtonsheriffga) September 4, 2024
🔗 Full statement from Sheriff Ezell Brown: https://t.co/XG3LM0Q2bo#BarrowCountyStrong #BarrowCounty pic.twitter.com/woQOd2CvCa
6:39 p.m.
The GBI and ATF have swarmed what appears to be the suspected shooter’s house. They appear to be collecting evidence.
We are on scene of what we believe is the family home of 14 year old Colt Gray. ATF agents among large presence of law enforcement here processing the home pic.twitter.com/8JUREFVqtY
— Justin Gray (@JustinGrayWSB) September 4, 2024
6:15 p.m.
A mother confirmed to Channel 2 Action News that her son, Mason Schermerhorn, was among those killed.
6:05 p.m.
All Barrow County Schools will be closed on Thursday and Friday.
5:34 p.m.
A mother has confirmed that her son, who was a student at the high school, was among the victims killed in the shooting. Family members had circulated his picture on social media when the couldn’t locate him. His mother told WSBTV that her son was among the dead.
4:40PM:
Barrow County Schools will remain closed for the remainder of the week. Central offices will remain open with grief counselors available.
4:35PM:
The GBI said two students and two teachers are among the dead.
The shooter has been identified as Colt Gray, a 14 year old student at Apalachee High School. He will be charged with murder and tried as an adult.
4:25PM:
Northeast Georgia Health System said they treated two gunshot victims with non-life-threatening injuries at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Barrow County. Four additional patients were taken to that hospital with anxiety/panic attacks.
Another gunshot wound victim was taken to Northeast Georgia Medical center in Gainesville with non-life-threatening injuries. One patient was treated at Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Braselton with symptoms of anxiety/panic attack.
4:23PM:
Former President Donald Trump issued a statement on Truth Social:
“Our hearts are with the victims and loved ones of those affected by the tragic event in Winder, Ga. Those cherished children were taken from us far too soon by a sick and deranged monster.”
4:03PM:
Katie Phenix identified one of the victims who was injured as her father, David Phenix.
Phenix is a curriculum assistant and coach at the school. His daughter said he was shot in the foot and the hip, shattering his hip bone.
“He arrived to the hospital alert and awake. He just got out of surgery and is stable,” Phenix wrote. “We will update as we hear new information. We are so, so lucky, but please keep our family as well as the AHS family in your prayers.”
It’s unclear if David Phenix was in a classroom when the shooting broke out.
3:42PM:
CNN reports that the shooter is a 14 year old male.
3:36PM:
The city of Winder will hold a community vigil at Jug Tavern Park at 7PM.
3:25PM:
Gov. Brian Kemp has issued a statement:
“Marty, the girls, and I are heartbroken by today’s tragedy at Apalachee High School. This is a day every parent dreads, and Georgians everywhere will hug their children tighter this evening because of this painful event.
We continue to work closely with local, state, and federal partners to make any and all resources available to help this community on this incredibly difficult day and in the days to come.”
3:12PM:
According to CNN, law enforcement officials say that Apalachee High School received a phone call Wednesday morning warning of shootings at 5 schools, starting with Apalachee High School.
3:10PM:
WSB Radio’s Veronica Waters spoke with Hayden Bowen Jackson, a 9th grade student who witnessed 2 of her friends being fatally shot in her Algebra class after the shooter kicked in the door to the classroom. She said that the shooter shot 4 times and left the room laughing.
2:30PM:
President Joe Biden has released a statement:
“Jill and I are mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed. What should have been a joyous back-to-school season in Winder, Georgia, has now turned into another horrific reminder of how gun violence continues to tear our communities apart. Students across the country are learning how to duck and cover instead of how to read and write. We cannot continue to accept this as normal.”
2:20PM:
The GBI has confirmed that 4 are dead and nine victims have been taken to various hospitals. Suspect is also in custody and alive.
Update: Four dead. An additional nine taken to various hospitals with injuries. Suspect in custody and alive. Reports that the suspect has been ‘neutralized’ are inaccurate.
— GA Bureau of Investigation (@GBI_GA) September 4, 2024
2:15PM:
Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has confirmed that at least one victim has been transported to Egleston Hospital for treatment.
1:50PM:
FBI and ATF are on scene to assist local authorities according to Attorney General Merrick Garland.
“I want to address the tragic shooting that occurred this morning at a high school in Winder, Georgia. We are still gathering information, but the FBI and ATF are on the scene working with state, local and federal partners,” Garland said.
>>PHOTOS: Massive police presence at Apalachee High School in Barrow County
The incident unfolded around 10:20 a.m. when officers from multiple agencies and Fire/EMS personnel were dispatched to the high school after reports of an active shooter.
The FBI’s Atlanta office has confirmed that their agents are on the scene. The GBI is also responding and is urging people to avoid the area during the investigation.
— FBI Atlanta (@FBIAtlanta) September 4, 2024
School officials said students have been cleared to be released to their families.
Governor Kemp has released a statement that he is directing “all available state resources to respond to the incident at Apalachee High School and urge all Georgians to join my family in praying for the safety of those in our classrooms, both in Barrow County and across the state. We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation.”
We will continue to work with local, state, and federal partners as we gather information and further respond to this situation. (2/2)
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) September 4, 2024
Mayor Andre Dickens issued the following statement:
“My prayers are with the high school students, staff and families affected by the senseless act of violence in Winder, Georgia. I have been in contact with Chief Schierbaum, and the Atlanta Police Department has been working with the Atlanta Public Schools Police Department to bolster patrols around our schools for the rest of the day out of an abundance of caution. APD has also been on standby in case law enforcement agencies need assistance with this incident. May God comfort the victims and their loved ones in the difficult days ahead.”
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the situation, according to the White House:
“President Biden has been briefed by his Homeland Security Advisor, Liz Sherwood-Randall, on the tragic shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia and his administration will continue coordinating with federal, state, and local officials as we receive more information.”
Apalachee High School is one of two high schools in the Barrow County Public Schools district.
This is a developing story. Stay with 95.5 WSB for continuing updates.