Alleged Georgia school shooter’s mugshot is released as chilling details emerge about his home life
The first mugshot of the 14-year-old who allegedly carried out a school shooting in Georgia has been released.
The tragic event unfolded Wednesday morning at Apalachee High School, leaving two students and two teachers dead.
Colt Gray, 14, is alleged to have opened fire inside the school at approximately 10:30AM, according to details shared by officials during a press conference Wednesday evening, as cited by the New York Post.
The four victims were identified as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angelo, both 14, and math teachers Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie.
A new report by the New York Post has now shed light on Gray’s upbringing.
A former neighbor, Lauren Vickers, who lived next door to the Gray family in Jefferson, Georgia, recounted troubling incidents to the outlet.
“There were nights where the mom would lock him and his sister out of the house. They’d be banging on the back door, just screaming, ‘Mom! Mom!’ and crying. It was absolutely devastating,” she claimed.
Vickers also claimed that the youngest child would sometimes come to her yard asking for food, alleging: “No clean clothes, I’m not exaggerating. It was constant abuse. It’s very, very sad.”
Gray’s mother, Marcee, 43, has a long criminal record, including arrests for drug offenses and domestic violence.
According to Vickers, she frequently drew attention in the neighborhood.
“I would find her in the driveway, passed out, with the car running and music blaring early in the morning,” she said, describing incidents where Marcee allegedly drove her younger child to daycare while intoxicated.
Gray’s father, Colin, 54, reportedly bought his son an AR-15 rifle for Christmas last year, despite a prior FBI investigation into online threats Colt had made.
Authorities now allege this rifle was used in the tragic shooting.
Colt’s maternal grandfather, Charles Polhamus, told CNN: “He was just a good kid who lived in an environment that was hostile. His dad beat up on him – not physically, but screaming and hollering, and he did the same thing to my daughter.”
A mugshot of Colt has since been released following his arrest.
As authorities try to understand Colt Gray’s motive for the shooting, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) is reviewing previous contacts between the family and the state’s child protective services agency.
GBI Director Chris Hosey said: “We are pursuing that avenue as well to see if that has any connection with today’s incident.”
Vickers claimed that despite her repeated calls to child services, little action was taken. “They came, talked to me, and did nothing,” she said.
Gray, who has been charged as an adult with four counts of murder, is set to appear in court on Friday.
His motive for the shooting remains unclear as authorities continue to investigate the events that led to the tragic incident.
