A tragic school shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday, September 4, left two teachers and two students dead, with several others injured. The alleged shooter, 14-year-old Colt Gray, reportedly sent a chilling text message to his mother, Marcee Gray, just moments before opening fire. His message read, “I’m sorry, mom,” sparking a frantic attempt by his mother to stop the horrific event.
According to Colt’s grandfather, Charles Polhamus, Colt’s haunting message prompted Marcee, 43, to make an urgent call to the school, warning a counselor of an “extreme emergency.” “I was the one that notified the school counselor at the high school. I told them it was an extreme emergency and for them to go immediately and find [my son] to check on him,” Marcee reportedly told her sister.
While Marcee quickly began driving from her home, located three hours away, to Winder, Georgia, she tragically learned halfway through the drive that the shooting had already taken place. The victims have been identified as math teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie, as well as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. At least nine others were injured in the attack.
Gray is expected to face murder charges as an adult, with authorities considering the extent of his violent actions.
Following the shooting, Colt’s grandfather, Charles Polhamus, claimed that the root of the violence was set long ago, blaming Colt’s father, Colin Gray, for the tragedy. Polhamus accused Colin of being “evil” and of contributing to Marcee’s struggles with addiction. “Collie Gray did this to his family and he will rot in hell for it,” Polhamus said. “He needs the death penalty. He is probably one of the worst narcissists in the world.”
In addition to the charges against Colt, Colin Gray is also facing two counts of second-degree murder in connection to the shooting. These charges raise serious questions about parental responsibility in the face of gun violence committed by minors. The charges against Colin Gray underscore the broader debate on holding parents accountable for their children’s actions when firearms are involved.
As the investigation into the shooting continues, the community of Winder is left grappling with the loss of four lives and the trauma experienced by the survivors. Authorities are piecing together the events leading up to the shooting and exploring the factors that may have driven the teen to commit such a tragic act.
Sources By Agencies
