Georgia school shooter Colt Gray's obsession with Parkland and links to Sandy Hook Discord account are revealed

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• Colt Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder
• The GBI says that 'additional charges are expected'

• Officers wirth the the Jackson County Sheriff questioned Colt Gray, 14, and his father Colin Gray after receiving a tip about a Discord accoun from the FBI.
• The Discord account had a user name written in Russian, and the translation of the letters spelled out the name Lanza, referencing Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the Sandy Hook Elementary school tragedy, officers said.
• The incident report, obtained by WSBTV, said: 'Colt expressed concern that someone is accusing him of threatening to shoot up a school, stating that he would never say such a thing, even in a joking manner.'

• Colin Gray told officers from the Jackson County sheriff's office in May 2023 that his son had been picked on at school.
• The father claimed he was teaching his son about firearms to get him away from video games, as reported by The New York Times.
• 'He knows the seriousness of weapons and what they can do, and how to use them and not use them,' the father told a detective.

• Colt Gray's family was evicted from their home in Jackson County in 2022, the New York Times reported.
• Officials took several weapons from the home including a black AR-15 rifle with a scope - the same style of gun used in the massacre.
• All of the weapons were returned were marked as 'released to owner.'

• Gunman Colt Gray surrendered to police just six minutes after Appalachee High's safety alarm system went off, according to Sheriff Smith.
• Smith told NBC that last year the district invested in a a notification system called Centegix and implemented it just a week and a half ago
• The system allows teachers to push a button on their badge that gends GPS coordinates to law enforcement.

• Sheriff Jud Smith said that Wednesday was the first 'real day' at Apalachee High.
• 'He was a brand new student to Barrow County Schools, he had enrolled about two weeks prior. This was his second day at school. He had been before, he left early, on that day and this was his first real full day,' Smith said.

• Burrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said he found 'carnage' when he arrived at Apalachee High on Wednesday.
• Smith added: 'There was blood everywhere. You smell the gunpowder. A lot of screaming, yelling, little bit of chaos.'
• He added that most of the nine people taken to the hospital have been released.

• CNN reports that officials found documents they believe were written by teen gunman Colt Gray.
• The writings included references to the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida.

• The GBI said in an update just before 2pm on Thursday: 'This is day 2 of a very complex investigation & the integrity of the case is paramount.'
• 'We ask for the public’s patience as we work to ensure a successful prosecution & justice for the victims.'

• The four victims' bodies, who were killed in the school shooting, will be examined today by the GBI Medical Examiner's Office
• The investigation into the shooting is still active and ongoing, officials said

• Investigators found evidence that Colt Gray, 14, was interested in mass shootings during a search of his room on Wednesday, The New York Times reported.
• Gray appeared to be particularly 'obsessed' with the 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, which left 17 people dead.

• At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.

• Colt Gray, 14, as interviewed in May 2023 by a sheriff’s investigator from nearby Jackson County who received a tip from the FBI that the boy, then 13, 'had possibly threatened to shoot up a middle school tomorrow.'
• The tip came to the FBI from people in Australia and California who were concerned about comments made by a chat group user on the social media platform Discord.
• The investigator urged the boy’s father to keep his firearms locked away and told him to keep his son out of school 'until this matter could be resolved.'
• The boy’s last day before the summer break was a few days before that conversation.

• State of Georgia Chaplain Ronald Clark consoles students as they kneel in front of a makeshift memorial at Apalachee High School on September 5.

• Chiman Douglas prays in front of the school sign outside of Apalachee High School.

• Ariel Bowling opened up to the Today Show about her feelings in the aftermath of Wednesday's blood bath.
• 'I just feel like you're basically never safe anywhere … No matter if there's cops in the school, there's still no safety at all,' she said.

• Junior Lyela Sayarath told CNN she sat 'shoulder-to-shoulder' in math class with alleged shooter Colt Grey before he opened fire at the Georgia school.
• Sayarath described the suspect, 14, as quiet and shy.
• 'He skips (class) usually, so you never really know where he’s going,' Lyela said.
• Sayarath added that Grey 'never really talked' and 'Even when he would have talked it was one word answers or statements.'

• The public schools in Barrow County will be closed for the rest of the week following the shooting at Apalachee High School.
• 'I just want to say to our community, as a school system, we are here for you,' superintendednt Dallas LeDuff said. 'We support you, and we are ready to get you any support that you may need as we grieve through this together.'
• Grief counceling will still be offered by the school system this week.

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• Suspected Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray's name has been blocked from X's search function in the wake of the massacre.

• The 14-year-old alleged shooter's first court appearance will be on Friday in Barrow County Superior court, CNN reports
• Colt will appear virtually from the the Gainesville Youth Detention Center, where he was taken overnight

• The Georgia Bureau of Investigation told Fox News Colt Gray's parents have been cooperative up until this point.
• Authorities are yet to picture the 14-year-old suspect, who was a student at Apalachee High School in northern Georgia.

• Colt Gray, 14, is currently detained at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center.
• His first court appearance will be in Barrow County Superior Court.
• Officials have said he will charged and tried as an adult.

• Junior Lyela Sayarath told CNN suspected shooter Colt Gray left her classroom at the start of their Algebra 1 class around 9.45am.
• Towards the end of the class, someone told the teacher over the loudspeaker to check her email, the student said.
• Gray then allegedly returned at the end of the class and knocked to get back in, as the door automatically locks.
• Sayarath said a female student went to open the door but jumped backward after presumanly seeing his weapon.
• Sayarath added: 'I guess he saw we weren’t going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open so I think he just started shooting in the classroom.'

• At least nine other people — eight students and one teacher — were taken to hospitals with injuries.
• All were expected to survive, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith said.

• Student Christian Angulo's sister Lisette created a GoFundMe page for the 14-year-old's funeral costs.
• She wrote: 'Unfortunately my baby brother was one of the victims of the school shooting at Apalachee High School. He was only 14 years old. He was a very good kid and very sweet and so caring. He was so loved by many. His loss was so sudden and unexpected.. We are truly heartbroken.'
• Lisette Angulo added: 'He really didn’t deserve this. We kindly ask if you could help us with any donations to help us with expenses for his funeral ceremony due to his loss being so sudden. We appreciate anything you can give. We also would appreciate any prayers at this time. Thank you.'

• Tanner Good and Brandon King have been identified as the two officers who confrtonted shooter Colt Gray, 14.
• They both have nearly 2,000 hours of law enforcement training combined, as reported by Atlanta News First
• Tanner Good:

• Brandon King:

• 10th-grade World history teacher Stephen spoke of the moment he protected about 20 students after his class was notified that they were on a hard lockdown
• He said: 'There was a second of, I just felt death cross my mind... There was a moment when I was like, I might die today.'

• Why didn't FBI and ATF seize dad's guns when they went to the house and interviewed him last year?

• A Georgia mom questioned Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith on Wednesday
• She asked: 'Why did the school resource officer not go looking for this kid and approach him? And why they sent a female faculty member to the room, the algebra room he was in with my daughter, looking for him, instead of the school resource officer?
• The mother added: Or why this school allowed this boy to come and go from the class all the time? He could go and sign up for the restroom pass, leave the class and come back sometimes.'
• Smith replied: 'With all due respect, ma'am, I think your information is incorrect. And our investigation is going to lead to what we have. And we will be glad to answer your questions once that's done.'

At a press conference late on Wednesday, officials confirmed reports that the FBI interviewed accused gunman Colt Gray, 14, and his father last year following 'several anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time.'

Officials said Gray 'denied making the threats online' at the time, and the only action taken was to warn local schools to 'continually monitor' the troubled teen.

Authorities say they are still looking into how the suspected gunman Colt Gray, 14, was able to bring a gun into school.

At a Wednesday evening press conferece, officials said he used a 'AR platform-style weapon' in the massacre, but are still unclear on who owned the gun or where he got it from.

'We're still trying to clarify a lot of the timeline from the time that he got here to school today until the incident,' Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said.

• At a press conference Wednesday night, officials named the victims as teachers Christina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14.

The first victim of the Apalachee High School shooting has been identified as 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn.

The victim's family told Channel 12 News that Schermerhorn, an autistic student, was among four people killed when a shooter - named as Colt Gray, 14 - opened fire Wednesday morning.

A junior at the school, Lyela Sayerath, said she was sat next to Colt Gray in algebra class minutes before he began the shooting spree.

She told CNN that Colt left the classroom at the beginning of their class at 9:45am, around half an hour before active shooter alerts sounded.

Gray didn't take a bathroom pass, she said, leading her to initially think he was merely skipping class - before a loudspeaker announcement told teachers to check their emails.

Shortly after, Sayerath said Gray returned outside their classroom, and went to open the door for him before jumping back at the sight of his gun.

'I guess he saw we weren’t going to let him in. And I guess the classroom next to me, their door was open so I think he just started shooting in the classroom,' she said.

She said he proceeded to fire off a number of bullets 'one after another', adding: 'When we heard it, most people just dropped to the floor and like kind of crawled in an area like piled on top of each other.'

Sayerath said her friend was in the next classroom and witnessed someone being shot, which left him 'shaken up'. 'He saw somebody get shot. He had blood on him. He was kinda limping. He looked horrified,' she added.

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith gave an impassioned speech about the shooting at an evening press conference.

'I never imagined that I would be speaking to the media in my career over the pure evil that happened today.

'This hits home for me. I was born and raised here, I went to school in this school system. My kids go to this school system. I am proud of this school system.

'My heart hurts for these kids and this community.

'Hate will not prevail in this county. I want that to be very clear and known. Love will prevail over what happened here today. I assure you of that.'

• Kamal Harris went off-script while addressing the shooting at an afternoon appearance.

• The Vice President first mispronounced the name of the town where the shooting occurred, then started talking about how much she loved Gen Z.
• There was immediate backlash.

• Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith confirmed at a late afternoon press conference that Gray was confronted by two school resource officers inside Apalachee High School 'minutes' after opening fire.
• Gray immediately surrendered, he said.
• 'He gave up, got on the ground and shooter took him into custody.'
• He had by that point injured nine people and killed four - two teachers and two students.

• Officials said that it is unclear if Colt Gray, the shooter at the high school, had any specific targets: 'We don't know of any targets at this point'

• Officials confirmed that the school will be closed for the rest of the week
• Counseling will be made available for those affected

• The Georgia mass shooter has been named as Colt Gray
• Gray is a 14-year-old student at Apalachee High School
• He is accused of killing two students and two teachers and injuring nine others
• Gray, who surrendered to police, will be tried for murder as an adult

• Police confirmed that there are a total of four victims dead
• They are two students, and two adults
• The suspect, Colt Gray, will be charged as an adult

• The male suspect, named Colt Gray, gave himself up to police as soon as they found him inside the school, officials said at a press conference at 4:30pm.
• The Sherriff refused to say what weapon Gray used during the mass shooting

• A video shows the moment students were evacuated from their classroom by heavily-armed law enforcement officers.
• The students were instructed to quicky exit their classroom in a single-file line.

• Barrow County coroner Kenny Cooper told The Washington Post that officials 'are still going classroom to classroom - and it's a big high school - looking for bodies.'
• Cooper added: 'It's terrible. Please pray for us.'

• The Georgia high schoool received a phone threat on Wednesday before the shooting happened, according to CNN.
• The caller reportedly claimed there would be shootings at five schools and that Apalachee would be the first to be attacked.
• Officials are investigating the origin of the call.

• Vicepresident Kamala Harris said on Wednesday in New Hampshire that 'it's 'outrageous that every day in our country, parents have to send their children to school worried about whether or not their child will come hoe alive.'
• She added: 'We have to end this epidemic of gun violence in our country once and for all. It doesn't have to be this way.'

• Students wait to be picked up by their parents after a shooting at Apalachee High School on September 4.
• At least four people were killed, per authorities.

• The Apalachee High school shooter is believed to be a 14-year-old male, law enforcement sources told CNN.
• It's unclear if he was a student at the school.
• Police have not released any details about the shooter's identity.

• The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has confirmed that four people were killed in the school shooting at the Apalachee High School today.
• The agency added that reports that the suspect had been 'neutralized' are 'innacurate'
• They said the suspect is alive and in custody

• A White House official said Harris 'will receive regular updates from her staff as additional information becomes available. The Biden-Harris administration will continue coordinating with federal, state, and local officials.'
• Harris is expected to address the shooting later today in New Hampshire

• Katie Phenix shared on Facebook that her dad David Phenix, a special education teacher and coach at Apalachee High School, was one of the shooting victims
• She wrote: 'We are so thankful for all the texts, calls, and messages about my dad. There was a shooting this morning at Apalachee High School and my dad was shot in the foot and in the hip, shattering his hip bone. 'He arrived to the hospital alert and awake. He just got out of surgery and is stable. 'We will update as we hear new information. We are so, so lucky, but please keep our family as well as the AHS family in your prayers.'

• Several local outlets have reported that the death toll from the school shooting in Geogia has climbed to four
• Moreover, reports say at least 30 others were injured

• Parents and students leave the scene after being reunited after a shooting took place at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia

• Garland said on Wednesday: 'We are still gathering information but the FBI and ATF are on the scene, working with state, local and federal partners'
• He added: 'I'm devastated for the families who have been affected by this terrible tragedy. The Justice Department stands ready to provide resources or support the Winder community needs in the days ahead.'

• Erin Clark received a text message from her son, Ethan, at 10.23am on Wednesday morning telling her that there was a school shooting underway.
• He wrote: 'school shooting rn (right now). I'm scared. I'm not joking.'
• His mom responded instantly, assuring him that she was leaving work. In a heartbreaking response, Ethan wrote: 'I love you.'

• Barrow County Officer Jud Smith spoke to the press outside Apalachee High School
• 'What you see behind us is an evil thing,' he said.
• Smith said there are multiple people injured but did not specify how many
• He called the situation 'very fluid' and 'ongoing'
• Smith added: 'We do have a suspect in custody and we are asking for patience to make sure we get this right.'

• Students were pictured standing in a circle, seemingly in prayer, after they evacuated the north Georgia school and ran to the football field on Wednesday

• The school has toldp parents they can begin picking up their children
• Other Barrow County Schools remain on 'soft lockdown' as a precation, per authorities
• The school district said: 'The Barrow County Sheriff's Office says this is for the safety of everyone right now. Please do not visit your child's school at this time. We cannot release students during a lockdown. We will let you know as soon as BCSO says it is all clear for dismissal.'

• Sergio Candera, a senior at Apalachee High School, told ABC News he was in chemistry class when he heard gunshots
• He said: 'My teacher goes and opens the door to see what’s going on. Another teacher comes running in and tells her to close the door because there’s an active shooter'
• Candera said he heard screams from outside hsi classroom as he 'huddled up' with his classmates

• The White House told CNN president Biden was briefed on the shooting by his Homeland Security adviser, Liz Sherwood-Randal
• The White House said the 'administration will continue coordinating with federal, state, and local officials as we receive more information.'

• NBC reports that two people have been killed in the shooting at Apalachee High School
• Moreover, four people have been reported injured
• A suspect is in custody but police have not released any details about them

• Parents outside the school have been seen crying and franticaly asking if anyone knows the names of those affected by the shooting
• One crying mom says she can't get in touch with her senior son, frantically asking news crews if they know the names of those who are injured
• Some parents ran about a mile, leaving their cars behind to get closer to the school

• Parents of students at Apalachee High School have been posting online as they await news from their children

• Hundreds of students were seen evacuating the school, moving into the football stadium for safety

• The FBI’s Atlanta office said: 'FBI Atlanta is aware of the current situation at Apalachee High School in Barrow County. Our agents are on scene coordinating with and supporting local law enforcement.'
• Georgia state police and the Barrow County sherriff's office are also among the law enforcement agencies at the scene

• Multiple outlets have reported there is one suspect in custody following the lockdown at the high school
• The sheriff's office said: 'At the time of this release, one suspect is in custody, and casualties have been reported however details on the number or their conditions is not available at this time.'
• The school district has told parents they can pick up their children

• The Barrow County Sheriff's office told CNN there have been casualties in the shooting
• They have yet to specify how many people were injured and if any are students

• Apalachee High School is one of two high schools in the district
• It has about 1,900 students in gardes 9 through 12.

• At least one person was loaded into a medic helicopter on a stretcher and taken to Grady Memorial Hospital.
• Grady Memorial is the largest hospital in northern Georgia

Heavily-armed police were seen entering the school as students were evacuated into the football stadium.

Governor Brian Kemp has responded to the shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder in Barrow County, 25 miles west of Athens.

Police have confirmed they are responding to an active shooter situation.

We will be bringing you the latest updates on the unfolding situation at Apalachee High School, in Winder, Georgia.