Winder, GA — A woman identified as the aunt of the alleged gunman expressed grave concerns to the authorities, fearing that her nephew, Colt Gray, was behind the recent tragic shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia. This information emerged from her emotional communication with law enforcement moments after the heartbreaking incident that left the community in shock.
According to official reports, shortly before the shooting, Gray sent a remorseful text message to his parents, reading simply, “I’m sorry.” The high school, deeply scarred by the incident, temporarily closed its doors and has announced plans for a cautious reopening on September 23.
The call from Gray’s aunt, referred to only as Annie in police documents, was recorded at approximately 11:46 a.m., about 90 minutes following the devastating event on September 4. She urgently requested that the dispatcher contact her sister, Marcee, who is Gray’s mother. Annie relayed that the teenager had apologized to his parents earlier that day, heightening her fears that he might be involved.
The incident resulted in the deaths of two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, as well as 53-year-old math teacher Cristina Irimie and 39-year-old assistant football coach Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall. Additionally, nine others were injured during the rampage.
In a panicked effort preceding the violence, Marcee Gray, having received her son’s ominous message, rushed to inform the school. Owing to a tragic oversight, however, the school authorities removed the backpack of another student with a similar sounding name, instead of intervening with Colt Gray.
As the investigation unfolded, Colt Gray, who is being held and charged as an adult, reportedly admitted to his actions. His father, Colin Gray, faces multiple charges including four counts of involuntary manslaughter and two counts of second-degree cruelty to children for providing the firearm used in the shooting—a rifle given to his son as a Christmas gift.
The reopening of Apalachee High School involves a phased approach, incorporating on-campus mental health support and adapted class locations. While other schools in Barrow County resumed classes last Tuesday following a three-day closure, the community, including Apalachee High School’s principal, Jessica Rehberg, continues to struggle with the aftermath.
Rehberg reached out to the community emphasizing solidarity and mutual support, acknowledging the spectrum of emotions everyone is grappling with and committing to collective healing and understanding.
This incident has dramatically underscored concerns surrounding youth access to firearms and has ignited discussions on enhancing school safety protocols to prevent similar tragedies in the future. As the community of Winder, a small town with about 1,900 students enrolled at the high school, attempts to find solace, there remains a resolute commitment to forging a path forward from this devastating event.