BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — A deputy testified he received a tip that the 14-year-old accused of killing four people at Apalachee High School threatened to shoot up a school the year before that.
That’s when Jackson County Deputy Dan Miller knocked on the door of Colin Gray, Colt Gray’s father, and told him why he was there.
“It was in reference to a school shooting,” Miller testified during a motions hearing Thursday at the Barrow County Courthouse, Channel 2’s Tom Jones reported.
Miller says he then interviewed Gray back in 2023. He says the FBI passed along a tip that his son Colt threatened to go on a shooting spree at a school.
Miller says he interviewed Gray about the threat.
“To the best of your knowledge were the defendant’s statements given freely and voluntarily?” asked Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith.
“Yes,” Miller replied.
Prosecutors want to show Gray knew his son was a threat before they say Colt shot and killed four people at Apalachee High School a year later. They say the father still gave Colt the gun used in the shooting.
Prosecutors then showed bodycam video where you see GBI Special Agent Kelsey Ward talking to Gray as he sits on the bed of his truck at his home hours after Apalachee shooting.
“Is this OK for us to interview you here?” you hear Ward say to Gray.
Ward says Gray showed her texts between him and his son.
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“He also showed me emails that were in reference to obtaining counseling services and communications about counseling for Colt,” Ward testified.
The defense wants to keep a jury from seeing the texts and emails.
Defense attorney Brian Hobbs asked Ward how many officers were on scene during her interview.
“I’m gonna say anywhere from 10 to 20,” she responded.
The defense says all those officers made it hard for Gray to freely consent.
“We’re gonna argue about whether or not the consent given consensual,” the attorney said.
A judge will decide on the pretrial arguments before Gray’s trial early next year.
He’s faces nearly 30 counts, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
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