Accused Apalachee shooter’s grandmother talks about his anger, efforts to help him

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — On Day 5 in the trial against Colin Gray, prosecutors called Colt Gray’s grandmother, Debbie Polhamus, who talked about the teen’s mental state leading up to the shooting.

Colin Gray is accused of buying his son the gun used in the Apalachee High School shooting despite knowing the teen could cause harm. The father of shooting suspect Colt Gray faces 29 charges, including second-degree murder, second-degree cruelty to children and involuntary manslaughter, in connection to the deadly crime.

Polhamus testified for hours, telling jurors Colt Gray was angry about his mother’s drug and alcohol use. She said he would also display anger when she did not buy her grandson certain gifts.

One text read, “I haven’t gotten to a point where I felt an instantaneous urge to hurt anyone, but I do have period where its heightened. These can last days to weeks.”

Polhamus said she initially thought he was talking about suicide.

She said she called Advantage Behavioral Health in Athens and learned a parent must drop him off for inpatient treatment.

Polhamus said she went to Apalachee High School, and staff told her to talk to a therapist the following week when school reopens. She said she never told anyone about the guns in the home.

She said she informed Colt’s father of the options.

“We had discussed at length trying to find some therapy for him,” Polhamus told jurors.

She said she knew his father bought him a semi-automatic rifle for Christmas. Polhamus said she bought him some bullets for it because the father told her it was for the gun range.

Prosecutors and defense attorneys never asked her if she suggested the father remove the child’s access to guns as his mental health declined.

She said she was aware her grandson had cut himself in the past, destroyed furniture, a bedroom door and hit his mother. She said she did not know deputies accused him of threatening to shoot up a school in Jackson County.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Heather Lashley told jurors she searched the Gray family home after the shooting. She said she found guns and ammunition all over the house, and none of it was locked away. She said she also found a cluster of photos of convicted school shooter Nicholas Cruz.

Prosecutors said it was a shrine Colt built because he had a fascination with Cruz.

The defense told jurors during opening statements that Colt sent Cruz money in prison and wrote him emails. They said his mother, Marcee Gray, knew that but never told his father.

The Barrow County District Attorney’s Office is prepared to call Marcee Gray to the witness stand Monday morning.

She was late for court Friday. The judge warned her to be on time Monday because her testimony will come first.

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