BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — The 14-year-old boy accused of shooting and killing four people at a high school in Winder appeared in court for the first time in person on Friday, Sept. 6.
Colt Gray is accused of shooting and killing two teachers and two students and wounding many more at Apalachee High School in Barrow County on Wednesday.
On Friday, the judge read Gray's charges and explained the maximum sentences related to them. Gray's attorney was in court on Friday and said they were not asking for bond.
Minutes after the initial hearing, the judge called Gray back to the courtroom to correct an earlier misstatement that his crimes could be punishable by death. Because he’s a juvenile, the maximum penalty he would face is life without parole.
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The Georgia Bureau of Investigation said the teen was a student at Apalachee High School. He is facing four counts of felony murder in connection with the shooting and will be tried as an adult. The GBI said additional charges are expected.
It's unclear what his motive for the shooting was at this time.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said that Gray was actually investigated in 2023 by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office after Gray allegedly posted online threats containing photos of guns in a threat to commit a school shooting. The time and location were unknown.
Gray was 13 years old at the time. At the time, his father, Colin Gray, said that though he had hunting guns in the house, his son did not have "unsupervised access" to them. The boy also denied making the online threats.
Colt Gray's father, Colin Gray, was also arrested on charges in connection with the shooting. He also made his first court appearance on Friday.
RELATED: Accused Apalachee High shooter's father makes first appearance Friday; no requests for bond
More on shooting at Apalachee High School
CNN reported that a phone call was placed Wednesday morning that warned there would be shootings, with Apalachee High School being the first target. It's unclear at this time who placed that phone call.
The Barrow County Sheriff's Office said the first call came in at 9:30 a.m. about an active shooter.
Many students who were inside the high school at the time of the shooting reported hearing loud bangs, prompting a terrifying scene for students, staff and their families, who were left wondering whether they would see their children when they showed up at the high school.
Teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie died from their injuries. The two students killed in the shooting were identified as Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. They are both 14 years old.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp posted a statement on X saying he and his family are "heartbroken" and that he will continue to "make any and all resources available to help this community on this incredibly difficult day and in the days to come."
President Joe Biden said he and First Lady Jill Biden were "mourning the deaths of those whose lives were cut short due to more senseless gun violence and thinking of all of the survivors whose lives are forever changed."
Material from the Associated Press was used in this report