Brady Responds to Arrest of Father of Apalachee High School Shooter, Underscores Urgent Need to Address Responsible Gun Ownership and Safe Firearm Storage

The Apalachee High School shooter’s father, Colin Gray, has been arrested in connection to facilitating the shooting that killed four people and injured nine others.

WASHINGTON, September 5, 2024 – According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Colin Gray, the father of the alleged gunman in the Apalachee High School shooting, has been arrested. He is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. An official said the charges stem from him “knowingly allowing his son” to have a weapon, which facilitated the murder.

Brady, the nation’s leading gun violence prevention organization, released the following statement from Kris Brown, president of Brady.

“If Colin Gray mistakenly thought his child couldn’t access the firearms in their home, he was not alone. More than 70% of gun-owning parents think their children can’t access firearms at home, whereas a third of their children reported that they could. The terrible reality is that the Apalachee shooter is not unique: He is among the 76% of school shooters under 18 who obtain their guns from the home. And with the senseless slaughter of his teachers and classmates, the tragic consequences are unfortunately all too clear.

To keep gun violence from being the number one cause of death for our children, we need accountability and responsibility beyond the shooter. When James and Jennifer Crumbley were found guilty of manslaughter earlier this year, the courts sent a powerful message to parents and other parties that they can be responsible for their actions that foreseeably contribute to gun violence even if they don’t pull the trigger. And let me be clear: If people simply locked up their firearms and the gun industry acted responsibly, we would not be digging as many graves.”

Brady President Kris Brown is available for interview live, via phone, or Zoom, and can discuss:

• Brady’s new polling showing that nearly 8 in 10 parents in the U.S. are worried about a mass shooting at their child’s school;

• Effective national, state, and local education efforts to encourage gun owners to store their firearms safely and securely and;

• What gun owners and non-gun owners alike, including parents and educators, can do to prevent school shootings and reduce gun violence.