CNN/Jackson County Sheriff’s Office
Newly released body camera footage shows the teen charged in the Apalachee High School shooting telling police he never threatened to shoot at his previous school, while his father insists he took gun safety measures for his son very seriously.
The Jackson County, Georgia, sheriff’s office released video of investigators’ visit late Monday. Colt Gray And his father Colin A boy who is now facing manslaughter charges after four murders at Apalachee High School were arrested in May 2023. Police were investigating alleged threats made by the then 13-year-old on the social media platform Discord.
The boy categorically denied making any threatening comments about his former school, telling officers, “I don’t know. Maybe someone misheard something. No, it’s true.” He also said he had deleted his Discord account.
Investigators also spoke with the father, who said he frequently spoke to his son about school shootings and being a victim of bullying.
Collin also admitted to having several weapons in the home and that Colt had access to them, but told the deputy they were not loaded.
As for the school shooting threats on social media, Colt’s father told a deputy sheriff, “I don’t know anything about him saying any of those (expletives). If he said that, I would be furious. And then all the guns would be gone. And he wouldn’t have access to his guns.”
As we reported, officers say the AR-style rifle Colt used to shoot up the new school was a Christmas gift from his father.
Two days after the body camera footage was released, investigators were called to Gray’s home and determined there was not enough evidence to charge Colt.
Father and son moved after being evicted in 2022, and Colt eventually enrolled at Apalachee High School. Law enforcement officials said there was no record of Colt’s new school being notified about the previous shooting threat investigation.
