Colin Gray, the father of a teen charged in a deadly Georgia school shooting, has requested special protection in jail, citing an overwhelming number of threats against his life, The Hill reported.
Gray, the father of 14-year-old school shooting suspect Colt Gray, is seeking protective custody in jail, where he is being held on charges related to second-degree murder, manslaughter, and cruelty to children.
Colin Gray's attorneys filed a motion Wednesday requesting his separation from the general population, citing an "incalculable number of threats" made against him.
According to the court filing by attorneys Jimmy Berry and Brian Hobbs, the threats have intensified, primarily fueled by social media.
"[M]ost notably, social media has led to a nonstop barrage of information being transmitted to the public leading to an incalculable number of threats against the Defendant and calling for both harm and violence to befall the Defendant, and in some cases, even calling for the death of the Defendant," the attorneys stated.
The defense team expressed concern that the general anger from the community is likely reflected within the inmate population.
"It is certain that those feelings of anger and retribution manifested in the collective psyche of both the public and the community at large are also represented in the individuals currently incarcerated," they added in the motion submitted to the Superior Court of Barrow County.
"In fact, so many lives in the community of Barrow County have been touched in unfathomable ways, it would be reckless to assume there are NO inmates, either currently or in the near future, being housed in the Barrow County Detention, who wish to harm the Defendant," they wrote.
Colin Gray was arrested shortly after authorities said his son carried out a deadly shooting on Sept. 4 at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Four individuals were killed in the incident, with seven others wounded. Colt Gray has been charged with four counts of felony murder.
The FBI revealed that the younger Gray had been previously investigated in 2023 after making online threats, which included posting photos of firearms. This information was forwarded to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office (JCSO) for further action.
In May 2023, the JCSO said they investigated an online school shooting threat traced to Colt Gray following a tip from Discord users to the FBI. Investigators interviewed Gray and his father, but the then-13-year-old denied involvement, claiming he had deleted his Discord account. With no probable cause, no arrest was made.
The Sheriff's Office informed local schools, and monitoring of Gray was recommended, according to the FBI, ABC News reported.
Father and son are due back in court in December.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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