FATHER OF 14-YEAR-OLD GEORGIA SCHOOL SHOOTER ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH SECOND-DEGREE MURDER

The father of the teenage Georgia school shooter has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of four people in Wilder, authorities said.

On Thursday, Colin Gray, 54, was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. The 54-year-old’s son, Colt Gray, a student at Apalachee High School, had shot two students and two teachers to death, in addition to nine others injured, including eight students and one teacher.

"We call them heroes. We love our teachers and what they do and we're very happy they stood in the gap between evil to protect their children and we want to include them who saved the lives that were saved yesterday," said Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith, according to FOX 5. 

The charges stemmed from Gray, who told investigators he purchased the AR15 Rifle used during the fatal incident as a Christmas present for his son despite being alerted by the FBI last week. Last year, an anonymous tip about an online threat of a school shooting caught the attention of authorities who interviewed Gray and his son. At the time, the defendant told FBI agents Colt Gray did not have any access to the guns in the home unsupervised. Furthermore, authorities could not make an arrest since there was no probable cause.

“His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon,” said Director of the Georgia Bureau of Investigations Chris Hosey reported The Guardian.

On Wednesday morning, the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office responded to Apalachee High School in Winder after reports of a shooting on the school campus. Some students saw the suspect leave their algebra class a few minutes earlier and then return with an AR Platform Rifle. After an unsuccessful attempt to regain entry back into his classroom, the 14-year-old went into the next class and opened fire.

Colt Gray has been charged as an adult and charged with four counts of felony murder. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Friday.