Authorities in Georgia have arrested the father of a 14-year-old boy suspected of a shooting that left four people dead and nine others injured at Apalachee High School in Winder, approximately 80 kilometers from Atlanta.
Victims have been Identified
Colin Gray, 54, is facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children after allowing his son, Colt, to possess a firearm, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), according to Ziare.
The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday, and the victims have been identified as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both aged 14, and teachers Cristina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39.
Irimie, a Romanian-American math teacher, was remembered fondly by her community for her dedication to shaping the minds of her students.
“She had a gift for working with young people,” stated the priest of a local Romanian Orthodox church.
Father Charged
In total, nine individuals were injured during the shooting, with some already discharged from the hospital. Sheriff Jud Smith of Barrow County confirmed that all nine victims are expected to make full recoveries.
The charges against Gray signal a potential shift in how the U.S. is addressing the rising epidemic of school shootings.
This follows the conviction of the parents of a Michigan teen who were sentenced to prison for their roles in a similar tragedy. In April, the Grays had been questioned about online threats made by Colt regarding a possible school shooting, but Colin Gray had denied any wrongdoing at that time.
Colt Gray used a semi-automatic weapon in the attack, although investigators are still determining how he acquired it. He is now in police custody and will face adult charges for his actions.
