Georgia school shooting timeline: What did parents and police know, and when?
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - Colt Gray, a ninth grader, has been charged with four felony murders after he allegedly took an AR-style weapon to Apalachee High School on Sept. 4 and shot 13 people, killing four.
But details shed new light on potential warning signs missed prior to the tragic events.
Here’s a timeline of what we know so far.
July 2022: Colt Gray’s family evicted from their home
In July 2022, Colt Gray’s family was evicted from their home.
The reason for eviction is not mentioned in the deputy’s report that was obtained by The Associated Press. His father, Colin Gray, told the investigator in 2023 that he had paid his rent.
May 21, 2023:
Law enforcement and first responders respond to Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024. (Credit: CHRISTIAN MONTERROSA/AFP via Getty Images)
An interview between Colt Gray, his father Colin Gray, and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office took place after the FBI received a tip regarding a threat to shoot up a school, allegedly made on a gaming app.
Colt told investigators he did not make those threats.
During the interview, his father admitted there were guns in the house but stated they were not loaded. Colin described taking his son hunting, explaining his effort to encourage Colt to spend more time outdoors and less time playing video games.
Sheriff speaks on Colt Gray's alleged 2023 threat
The FBI and the Jackson County Sheriff's Office revealed 14-year-old Colt Gray was on their radar about 16 months ago, and was questioned about reported posts on an online gaming site threatening to shoot up a school. Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum joined LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow to discuss the latest developments.
Colin also claimed he'd been up to the school multiple times, blamed it on other kids touching his son and said Colt wanted to move out of the school district.
While authorities were unable to substantiate the tip, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office reportedly alerted the school to monitor Colt. An email obtained by FOX 5 shows a sheriff’s captain informing the FBI, "We have made area schools aware and will monitor this subject."
However, Colt later moved with his father to a different county, enrolling in Apalachee High School in Barrow County. It remains unclear whether the alert from Jackson County was communicated to Colt’s new school, or what "monitoring" would have entailed in this situation.
November 2023: Colt Gray’s mother arrested
Last year, Colts mother Marcee was arrested for scratching her husband’s truck, and during the arrest, officers found methamphetamines, fentanyl, and a glass pipe in her possession. She was sentenced in December 2023 to 46 days in jail.
Aug. 2024: Teachers recieve ID cards with panic buttons
One week prior to the shooting, teachers at the school had been supplied with special identification cards with panic buttons.
While authorities credit the ID cards with preventing the shooting from being worse than it was, the action still came too late to stop killings.
Sept. 4: Georgia school shooting
On Sept. 4, the accused shooter, Colt Gray, left his Algebra 1 class at the beginning of class. He supposedly returned to the classroom, but was unable to get back in because the door was locked. He then went to the classroom next door and opened fire.
RELATED: Apalachee High School shooting: Timeline of Sept. 4, 2024, and following days
About four minutes later, two sheriff's deputies and two school resource officers entered the school. A resource officer encountered the suspect, who was armed. The suspect put down his gun and immediately surrendered to the authorities.
District Attorney speaks on Colt Gray's case after school shooting
The Georgia teenager charged as an adult with killing four people at his high school made his first court appearance on Friday, and his father later appeared before the same judge on charges of enabling his son to obtain the rifle used in the shooting. Suspected Georgia high-school shooter Colt Gray, 14, made his first appearance in state court, where he faces murder charges stemming from Wednesday's rampage, which killed four people and wounded nine others. During a press conference on Friday, District Attorney Brad Smith spoke with the press about the case.
That afternoon, during a press briefing, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said four people were killed and nine were hospitalized with injuries.
Law enforcement later provided another update on the shooting and the status of the investigation. It is revealed that the accused shooter used an AR-style weapon. They also identified the two teachers and two students who were killed.
Sept. 5: Colt’s father arrested
On Sept. 5, the suspect, Colt, was moved overnight to the Gainesville Youth Regional Detention Center.
It was announced that Colt's father, Colin, had been placed under arrest and would be charged with 4 counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and 8 counts of cruelty to children.
Sept. 6: Colt and Colin Gray make first appearances in court
On Sept. 6, Colt made his first appearance in a Bartow County courtroom. The charges were read to him along with possible sentences, and he was informed that his preliminary hearing would be scheduled for Dec. 4.
RELATED: Apalachee High School shooting: Colt and Colin Gray make first appearances in court
His father, Colin, also made his first appearance in court and the charges and possible sentences were also read to him. He was given the same preliminary date as his son.
Later, CNN reported that Marcee, the mother of the suspect, had warrants out for her arrest for offenses allegedly committed in November 2023, including possession of fentanyl and meth, along with using a false license plate. This has not been confirmed by FOX TV Stations.
Editor's Note: An updated version of this article corrects a typo that suggested it took sheriff's deputies and resource officers 40 minutes to enter the school, when it took them 4 minutes, according to police information obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta.