The recent filing of murder charges against the father of a 14-year-old boy involved in a school shooting in Georgia has sparked discussions about parental responsibility in cases of children and guns. The father, Colin Gray, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder following the tragic incident at Apalachee High School, where two students and two teachers lost their lives and nine others were wounded. Gray’s son, Colt Gray, is facing murder charges for using a semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle in the attack. The charges against Colin Gray are directly linked to his son’s actions and allowing him access to a weapon.
This case comes on the heels of a milestone in Michigan, where James and Jennifer Crumbley were convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the deaths of four students at Oxford High School in 2021. The Crumbleys, who are serving 10-year prison terms, were the first parents in the U.S. to be criminally held responsible for a mass school shooting involving their child. While the Crumbleys claimed they were unaware of their son’s intentions, prosecutors argued that their son’s actions were foreseeable based on alarming signs like macabre drawings and messages. The Michigan Court of Appeals emphasized the intertwined nature of the parents’ actions and their son’s deadly rampage.
Georgia prosecutor Brad Smith has not disclosed the specific details that led to the charges against Colin Gray in the Apalachee shooting, but arrest warrants indicate that he provided a gun to his son despite knowing that he posed a threat to himself and others. Smith, citing the Michigan case, emphasized that he is using all the legal tools available to prosecute individuals for their crimes. The arrest of Colin Gray has been described as a “punch in the stomach” by Michigan prosecutor Karen McDonald, who sees similarities between the two cases and hopes it will encourage more scrutiny of parents’ roles in preventing gun violence.
McDonald stressed the importance of state laws that hold parents accountable for gross negligence in various situations and praised the immediate investigation into how the gun was obtained in the Georgia case. She demonstrated the simple act of locking a gun, highlighting the role that gun safety practices can play in preventing tragedies. Shapiro, a former prosecutor, believes that all states have laws that can be used to hold parents responsible for overlooking signs of danger posed by their children. For instance, Michigan recently enacted a law requiring adults to secure guns in the presence of minors.
Gun violence prevention advocates like Kris Brown have emphasized the importance of responsible gun ownership and ensuring that firearms are securely stored to prevent tragedies involving children. Brown highlighted a case in Newaygo County where a grandfather pleaded no contest in the accidental death of his grandson due to a loaded shotgun. Advocates argue that proper gun safety measures can prevent unnecessary deaths and legal consequences for parents. The recent cases in Michigan and Georgia have reignited discussions about parental responsibility in cases of gun violence involving minors and the need for stricter enforcement of gun safety laws.
