Georgia school shooter’s dad called him a ‘sissy’ and bought him AR-15 to ‘toughen him up’
The father of Georgia school shooting suspect Colt Gray called him a “wimp” and bought the AR-15 his son allegedly used in his fatal shooting to “make him stronger,” family members said.
Colin Gray bought the gun last Christmas and gave it to Gray, 14, who allegedly used it during the Apalachee High School massacre.
DailyMail.com previously revealed that his father took him on hunting trips in the 18 months leading up to the shooting, which left four people dead.
It has now come to light that the elder Gray, who has also been charged in connection with the murders, regularly made insulting comments to his son.
“He was cursing Colt to his face,” a relative of Colt’s mother, Marcee, told the New York Post.
The father of accused Georgia school shooter Colt Gray called him a ‘sissy’ and bought the AR-15 allegedly used in his son’s fatal shooting to ‘make him stronger,’ family members say
‘Names no boy wants to hear: sissy, p***y, bitch… just names meant to break and castrate him.
“Colin always thought Colt was too soft and gentle. That’s why I think he gave him the gun.”
The September 4 mass shooting left four people dead: Mason Schermerhorn, 14, Christian Angulo, 14, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Nine more people were injured.
Gray, 54, admitted giving his son the gun as a gift despite having previously been questioned by police about alleged threats his son had made against the school.
The father and son had been on the FBI’s radar for more than a year because of the incident, but no arrests had been made because there was no probable cause at the time.
The father is now charged with two counts of second-degree murder, four counts of involuntary manslaughter and eight counts of cruelty to children.
If found guilty on all charges, he could face up to 180 years in prison.
According to a Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office report, Gray’s father told police his son was not a loner and that he was bullied at school. His classmates said he was gay.
Colin Gray, 54, has also been charged in connection with the shooting that left two students and two teachers dead
Investigators say Gray, 14, used this pictured AR-15 to run over four people at Apalachee High School
Gray received the gun he allegedly used as a Christmas present from his father
The report also states that Colt told his father, “I’m a good kid, Dad, I would never do that,” and said, “I don’t want to get involved in that.”
His father said it was “really hard” for him to go to school and “not get bullied,” and that he tried to get him on a school team.
“It went from one thing to another,” Colin said. “He was talking to some friends he had, and it was like, ‘Oh look Colt’s gay, he’s dating this guy.’
“I made fun of him day in, day out.”
Father and son both appeared in Barrow County District Court on Friday in handcuffs and with handcuffs across the front of their bodies.
Colt reportedly told police, “I did it” when he was read his Miranda rights after his arrest on Wednesday.
The teenager, dressed in a green T-shirt and gray sweatpants, kept his head bowed, his hair covering his face, and spoke quietly alone to Judge Currie Mingledorff. When asked to confirm his name, he responded, “Yes, sir.”
Judge Mingledorff recalled Gray to correct a ruling he made, saying, “I wanted to make it clear to you that the sentence does not include the death penalty. It includes life without the possibility of parole or with the possibility of parole.”
Mason Schermerhorn, 14, an autistic student at Apalachee High School, was the first victim to be identified. Christian Angulo, 14, also lost his life in the senseless shooting
Teacher Richard Aspinwall was named as one of the four victims of the shooting. Christina Irimie was also identified as a victim
A 2005 Supreme Court ruling prohibits the execution of offenders who were under 18 when their crimes were committed.
Meanwhile, his father, Colin, appeared in the same courtroom shortly after his son, crying and rocking back and forth.
Colin Gray shuffled in, dressed in a prison-issued striped shirt and tracksuit, handcuffed like his son. He gave his name in a raspy voice, confirming his age and that he could read and write.