Relative Of Georgia School Shooter Says Family ‘Not White Trash,’ Claims They Are ‘Just Regular People’ And Shooter’s Parents Are Black Sheep
A relative of 14-year-old Colt Gray, who killed four students at Apalachee High School in Georgia on Wednesday morning, said that his extended family is “not white trash,” and are just “regular people,” distancing themselves from Gray’s parents amidst reports that Gray was raised in a broken home.
A relative of Gray’s mother told the New York Post that claims of Gray’s upbringing, specifically that he came from a “low-income, uneducated family,” are “simply not true,” suggesting instead that most of the family is middle-class, with college degrees and well-paying jobs, and that Gray’s mother, who has multiple drug arrests under her belt, is the black sheep of the family.
“We are not white trash. That’s what everyone is saying about us, but we’re not. We are just regular people,” said the anonymous relative.
On Wednesday, Gray allegedly killed two classmates, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and two teachers, Richard Aspenwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53, as well as injuring at least nine others. Gray is now being charged with four counts of murder.
Gray’s home life has been a subject of significant focus since the slayings, with one former neighbor and landlord of the family telling the Post that the child lived in a “neglectful home,” and was subject to regular visits from Georgia’s child protective services agency.
The relative said that Marcee Gray, the shooter’s mother, who has a lengthy list of past crimes, including drug crimes and domestic violence, “got into the wrong crowd, dated some bad guys and often got into trouble,” per the Post.
A former neighbor and landlord of the Grays told The Post the teenager came from a neglectful home that, according to police, was frequently visited by the state’s child protective services agency.
Meanwhile, Gray’s father, Colin, who has also been charged with murder in connection to the shooting, has not “been a good example for his son,” the relative said, noting that he can’t hold down a job.
54-year-old Colin Gray was arrested the day after the shooting after it was revealed that he gave his son the rifle used in the shooting as a Christmas gift in December. Earlier that year, the FBI had linked Colt to a Discord account where he discussed plans for a future mass shooting and shared screenshots of firearms. When confronted about the account, Colin told investigators that Colt “knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them,” per the Post.
The shooter’s father is now charged with four counts of manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
Colt Gray and Colin Gray both appeared in court on Friday, with Colt being informed he could face life in prison, and Colin being informed his crimes held a maximum sentence of 180 years in prison.
During the proceedings, Colt was mostly stonefaced, answering briefly when asked questions by the judge during his bond hearing, before being led away in shackles. His father, meanwhile, closed his eyes and rocked back and forth in his seat as the judge informed him of the maximum sentence, appearing to cry at times.
This comes shortly after reports surfaced that Colt told authorities “I did it” while being arrested. The child did not enter a plea during his bond hearing.
The relative said they are hoping that Colt will be tried as a juvenile, and be given the opportunity to undergo intensive therapy, and take medication that could give him a chance at a somewhat normal future, the Post reported. They confirmed they are working to get Colt legal representation, and maintained that he is also a victim in this tragedy.
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