The father of the suspected shooter in a deadly school shooting in Georgia, Colin Gray, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder, and cruelty to children for allowing his son, Colt Gray, to possess a weapon. Colt Gray, 14, opened fire at Apalachee High School, killing two teachers and two students. Eight others were injured in the shooting. Colin Gray’s charges come after recent cases of parents being held accountable for their children’s violent actions, such as the conviction of the parents of a Michigan school shooter. The FBI had received tips about online threats involving Colt Gray last year but found no probable cause for arrest. Legal experts believe that successful prosecutions of parents in similar cases could encourage other prosecutors to pursue charges. The case also highlights other instances where parents were charged for the violent actions of their children. Colin Gray had told law enforcement that his son did not have unsupervised access to hunting guns in their house during a previous visit in 2023. This warning, along with other evidence, suggests that the parents may have been negligent in allowing their son access to weapons. The charges against Colin Gray serve as a reminder for parents to keep firearms locked away to prevent tragedies like the school shooting in Georgia.
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