Georgia school got even earlier warning about Colt Gray before deadly shooting, mom says
The mother of Georgia school shooting suspect Colt Gray claimed that teachers had noticed her son was making references to violence at the school — even before she called to warn administrators about him.
Marcee Gray received an alarming text message from her son on the morning of the shooting, reading, “I’m sorry,” which prompted her frantic call to the school around 9:50 a.m. to check on the 14-year-old, the Washington Post reported.
She clled the school counselor, and Marcee Gray said the call only worsened her panic.
“The counselor said, ‘I wanted to let you know that earlier this morning, one of Colt’s teachers had sent me an email saying Colt had been making references to school shootings,’” Marcee Gray told ABC News in a video interview from her home.
“Between my gut feelings, the text messages, and now this email, you need to, like, run to the classroom,” she said.
Gray later told her sister, Annie Brown, in a text message that she alerted the counselor that it was an “extreme emergency” and that the school should “immediately” take steps to find the boy.
Authorities said Colt Gray opened fire about 30 minutes after his mother’s warnings. They said school resource officers tried to track down Colt in his classroom, but stopped a different student with a similar name instead.
Minutes later, the first shots echoed through the halls of the high school in a mass shooting that would see two teachers and two students killed and nine others injured.
Colt surrendered after being confronted by a school security officer and was quickly taken into custody.
Speaking of the two students and two teachers killed in the massacre, Marcee Gray told the network during the emotional interview, “If I could take their place, I would. I would in a heartbeat.”
There were worrisome rumblings at the school that day even before Gray’s attempt to sound the alarm about the impending calamity.
Cops said an unknown person had called Apalachee Wednesday morning claiming it would be the first of five schools targeted in a series of mass shootings that day.
Apalachee High School did not immediately respond to a request by The Post for comment.
A Georgia Bureau of Investigation spokesperson directed The Post’s inquiry to the Piedmont Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office — which includes Barrow County where Apalachee High is located.
What we know about alleged Georgia school shooter Colt Gray's family
- Georgia school shooting suspect Colt Gray had a difficult home life filled with abuse and neglect.
- Gray’s mother, Marcee, has had multiple drug and domestic violence arrests.
- Gray’s father, Colin, allegedly bought his troubled son an AR-15 rifle for Christmas. He is facing charges for supplying the weapon.
- Lauren Vickers, a neighbor of the family, says the children were often locked out of the home.
- Charles Polhamus, Colt’s maternal grandfather, says Colin Gray was verbally abusive toward his grandson and daughter.
- Colt’s aunt, Annie Brown, says Colt had been struggling with his mental health.
The Barrow County DA’s office also did not respond in time for publication.
Colt Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder.
His father, Colin, 54, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children.
Both made their initial court appearances on Sept. 6 and did not enter a plea.
They are being held without bail, and are next scheduled to appear at Barrow County courthouse Dec. 4.
