Apalachee Shooter’s Family in Spotlight

The father of accused school shooter Colt Gray was arrested last week on manslaughter charges while the mother told officials she had contacted the school 30 minutes prior to the shooting, urging that her son be checked on immediately.

Other new details have emerged about the shooting at Apalachee High School that killed four people, highlighted with the charges lodged against the father, Colin Gray, which include eight counts of cruelty to children.

The day before the shooting, Colt Gray’s grandmother visited the school to meet with teachers, discussing the challenges Colt was facing.

Colt Gray’s aunt, Annie Brown, highlighted that Colt was “begging for help from everybody around him,” signaling a desperate need for intervention that went unaddressed by adults in his life. 

In May 2023, a Sheriff’s investigator had interviewed Colt and his father, Colin, warning that the family’s weapons needed to be secured. Nevertheless, seven months later Colt’s father gave his son the rifle he allegedly used in the shooting as a Christmas present.

Copy-Cat School Threats on the Rise

At least 20 students around the state are facing charges following a wave of copycat threats against schools in the aftermath of the Apalachee school shooting.

In response to the swelling threats, heightened security measures and investigations are underway in multiple school districts.

In one of the cases, a middle school student in Henry County was intercepted with a handgun before he could enter the school premises.

In another a 15-year-old student in Jackson County was arrested after he allegedly made threats to “finish the job” and carry out another school shooting.

Carr Says No Election Board Inquiry Needed

A new legal opinion by Attorney General Chris Carr says Gov. Brian Kemp is not legally obligated to investigate members of the State Election Board for implementing controversial changes to election procedures.

The controversy arose when several Georgia Democrats demanded an investigation and the removal of three Republican board members who enacted rules allowing a “reasonable inquiry” before certifying an election. 

Attorney General Chris Carr’s decision provides Governor Kemp with guidance, exempting him from having to act against GOP board members.  

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➤ Winder: Students and teachers performed multiple acts of bravery during the shooting, including one student who closed a door to protect his fellow classmates and was shot in the process. (More) 

➤ Bremen: Carson Kimball, a quarterback from Bremen High School who was injured and remains in the hospital recovering from paralysis below his waist, was crowned homecoming king. (Details)

➤ Dekalb County: County officials reported that 38,000 voters were labeled inactive due to undelivered mail, but clarified that these individuals are still eligible to vote. (Details)

➤ Brandon Gailey, owner of All County Towing and Recovery, offered free towing services to students and staff of Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school, aiming to help them avoid revisiting the site of the tragedy. (More)

➤ Atlanta: Georgia Tech announced it will end its Chinese partnership with Tianjin University and withdraw from the Shenzhen Institute over increasing tensions between the U.S. and China. (More)

➤ Kennesaw: Kennesaw State University ranked in the top 10 for its first-year experiences and learning communities, according to the latest Best Colleges report. (Details)

➤ The Atlanta Falcons lost their opening game 18-10 to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. The Flacons were hurt by three turnovers. (See Details)

➤ No. 1 Georgia improved to 2-0 on the season with a 48-3 thrashing of Tennessee Tech. Starting quarterback Carson Beck threw five touchdowns before being removed from the game. (More)

➤ Week Two of Georgia high school football came with three matchups between top 25 programs — check the final scores here. (See scores)

➤ Atlanta Braves center fielder Michael Harris made a diving grab in the Braves’ matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays. (Watch video)

➤ Yesterday’s Results: NFL | NCAAF | MLB | WNBA | NASCAR

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➤ Walt Ehmer, the president and CEO of Waffle House, has died after a long illness at age 58. He was known for his service to many Atlanta civic organizations. (More)

➤ The U.S. Department of Transportation has initiated an airline investigation that includes Delta Airlines, focusing on the transparency and fairness of loyalty program practices. (More)

➤ Moe’s, a Georgia-based restaurant chain, has partnered with Cheez-It to introduce a new menu item, a quesadilla that incorporates Cheez-It crackers into its ingredients. (Details)

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➤ Zoo Atlanta celebrated the birthdays of giant pandas Ya Lun and Xi Lun, marking the occasion by providing special ice cakes for the pandas to enjoy. (See PandaCam)

➤ Chick-fil-A through its partnership with Shared Table has donated more than 30 million meals to those in need. (More)

➤ The Atlanta Track Club is celebrating “Steady Betty” Lindberg’s 100th birthday. She holds the 95-99 age group world record for the 5K race. (Video)

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