Bodycam footage of 2023 interview with father and suspected school shooter released

Authorities in the state of Georgia have released bodycam footage of the May 2023 interrogation of Jackson County Sheriff’s officers and the suspected Apalachee High School shooter and his father.

Jackson County, GeorgiaSheriff’s officials personally spoke with the boy, who is now charged with murdering four children at Apalachee High School in Winder. The public defender representing both Colin and Colt Gray did not respond to Fox News’ request for comment.

The footage shows sheriff’s officers’ interactions on May 21, 2023, when suspect Colt Gray was 13 years old, after he received a tip from the FBI about a threat on the messaging app Discord, popular with some video gamers, to carry out a robbery at a middle school.

Police are seen knocking on Gray’s house and are greeted by a frightened Colin Gray, dressed in his underwear and a T-shirt.

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The officers explain that they are investigating a complaint, adding that they went to his old address first. Colin asks if he can get dressed before they start questioning him.

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Then Colin reappears dressed, apologizes for the delay and says he was watching a golf tournament when he opens a drink and the police ask him if he has a son.

As the officers further explain the reason for their visit and ask Colin about his son, he warns him that Colt will “turn red in the face” when questioned.

When police began questioning Colin, he opened up more about Gray’s personal life and the allegation, saying the visit was “bullshit” and a terrorist threat.

“He’s going through a lot right now… it’s very difficult for him to go to school without being teased,” Colin explained.[Colt’s] have been through a lot.”

Colin remains calm as he explains Colt’s past to the officers, saying that he has been through a rough patch. He adds that he and Colt’s mother divorced and that they were evicted from their home.

“He had problems with separation at first. I took him to school. He goes to Jefferson Middle School. He’s doing really well,” Colin explained.

The officer acknowledges the seriousness of the visit and Colin agrees, saying that Colt “knows how serious this is, trust me.”

“[Colt] just wants us to have an easy life. He should be excited about getting into 8th grade. It was just very difficult for him to go to school and not get picked on, you know, it was going from one to the other, you know, talking to the few friends that he has,” Gray said.

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Colin claims he has been to the school several times, blames other children for touching his son, and says Colt wants to move away from the school district.

Colin then claims that he is constantly teased and talks about the importance of gun safety.

“Let me ask you this: Do you have weapons in the house?” the officer asks.

“I do,” says Colin.

“Are they accessible?” the officer then asks.

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“They’re… I mean, they’re not loaded, but they’re… we do a lot of shooting, we do a lot of deer hunting. He shot his first deer this year,” Colin says. “I’m pretty much in shock… I’m pissed, to be honest.”

“I’m a little surprised by the whole thing, but I can tell you one thing: I take this very seriously and so does he,” says Colin.

“I don’t know if he said any of that shit. And I’ll be mad as hell if he does, and then all the guns will disappear and he won’t have access to them anymore,” Colin continues. “You know, I’m trying to be honest. I’m trying to teach him about firearms and safety and how to do all that and instill an interest in the outdoors.”

“Get him away from the video game,” the officer replies.

“Yeah. Exactly. Right. That’s the best. The truth is, the picture on my phone is him with blood on his cheeks when he shot his first deer. It’s just the greatest day ever,” says Colin. “So he knows how serious guns are and what they can do and how to use them and not to use them.”

“So it’s a bit of a shock. So whatever you say to him, make it clear to him that it’s not a joke when someone comes from whatever or wherever. No, it’s not a joke,” Colin continued.

“We wouldn’t be here,” the officer said.

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“No, I know, I know, and I’m telling you, we’re talking about it quite a bit right now. All the school shootings, things like that that are happening. Yeah, I hear you’re getting bullied at school. He is. He’s getting bullied at school. And. Is everything OK? That’s why I keep going there. No. You know, because you just never, you never really know. And I don’t want anything to happen to him, so. Yeah. Yeah,” Colin finished.

Then Colt, wearing a blue T-shirt, sweatpants and a blue cap, joins the officers on the porch.

Colin tells his son: “They are nice guys. They just tell you what’s going on.”

Colt has his hands in his pockets and appears fidgety as he answers officers’ questions. He avoids eye contact with officers and swears that he did not threaten to shoot at the school, even saying, “You must have misunderstood someone else.”

The officer seems to take Colt at his word, and the two even laugh about people lying to the police.

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Authorities identified Colt Gray, now 14, as the gunman who killed two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School. Gray turned himself in to authorities and was taken into custody after the shooting. He will be tried as an adult.

Colt’s father, 54-year-old Colin Gray, has also been charged in connection with the school shooting. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, he is charged with four counts of manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of child abuse.

Georgia is one of 42 states across the country where parents criminally responsible in the name of their children.

Authorities alleged Colin knew about this and gave his son Colt access to the firearms in the house before Wednesday’s shooting.

Jasmine Baehr of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.

Source of the original article: Georgia high school shooting: Bodycam footage of 2023 interview with father and suspected school shooter released