Brady Responds to Father and Son Murder Charges in Apalachee High School Shooting

A grand jury indicted the 14-year old shooter and his father on murder charges following a mass shooting on September 4.

WASHINGTON, D.C., October 18, 2024 — Brady, the nation’s leading gun violence prevention organization, today responded to father and son indictments in the Apalachee High School shooting. Both the 14-year old shooter and his father were charged with multiple counts of murder after the shooter used an AR-15-style rifle left unsecured by his father to kill four people in a school shooting on September 4th.

These indictments are the latest example of legal responsibility for gun violence extending beyond the shooter. James and Jennifer Crumbley were found guilty of manslaughter earlier this year after they failed to safely store the firearm their son used to kill four people in a 2021 shooting at Oxford High School. The Apalachee shooter is among the 76% of school shooters under 18 who obtain their guns from the home.

Kris Brown, president of Brady, said:

Yesterday’s decision marks another sad chapter in the tragedy of the Apalachee High School shooting, in which four were shot and killed because of a parent’s failure to uphold responsible gun ownership. It is also a reminder of the power of accountability beyond the shooter – particularly for those who allow children access to weapons of war. “To keep gun violence from being the number one cause of death for children in America, we need to foster a culture of understanding and accountability around safe storage and responsible gun ownership. 6.7 million children live in homes with loaded and unlocked guns – and this access is a major contributor to gun violence around the country. At Brady, we are committed to advocating for the safe storage of firearms to end tragedies of family fire.

We can’t change the past, but we can prevent more school shootings, more deaths, and more families who lose their loved ones to the crisis of gun violence.