The mother of the 14-year-old accused of killing four people at Apalachee High School says her son is “not a monster.”
In a statement released to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and other news outlets, Marcee Gray apologized to those affected by the shooting Sept. 4 at the Barrow County school. Her son, Colt Gray, was arrested the same day and charged with four counts of murder. His father, Colin Gray, was also arrested and charged in the case.
The victims were identified as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and two adults: assistant football coach Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and math teacher Cristina Irimie, 53. Nine others were also injured in the shooting, according to investigators. Both the FBI and GBI are assisting with the investigation.
“If I could take the place of Mason and Christian, I would without a second thought,” Marcee Gray said. “As a parent, I’ve always said that the loss of one of my children would be the only thing that I wouldn’t be able to come back from. I feel all of your pain and devastation. I grieve and cry with you.
“My heart breaks for the 2 teachers who gave their lives while in the service of teaching and protecting our children,” the statement continued. “We are all in a living nightmare right now, and I will personally never forgive myself for what has happened.”
Colt Gray had previously been investigated in 2023 by local and federal law enforcement for allegedly threatening a school shooting but was not charged in that case.
Last week, his father was charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. Those charges “stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to possess a weapon,” GBI Director Chris Hosey has said.
Despite the criminal charges her son faces, Marcee Gray defended him.
“My son Colt is not a monster,” she wrote. “He is my oldest baby. He is quiet, thoughtful, caring, funny, and extremely intelligent. Please pray for him and the rest of our family, as I am praying for all of you every moment of every day. Love is the only thing that will get us through this tragedy.”
Earlier this week, Charles Polhamus, the teen’s grandfather — Marcee Gray’s father — blamed the boy’s home life and father for creating an environment that led to last week’s violence.
Polhamus and his family have lived in Fitzgerald in Ben Hill County for at least four decades.
His daughter has a criminal history dating back 17 years, records showed. Marcee Gray, 43, has faced prosecution in Barrow, Fulton and Forsyth counties, accused of domestic violence, drug possession, property damage and traffic violations.
She has also faced civil fraud claims related to a vehicle purchase and was in jail in Ben Hill County as recently as April, according to publicly available court filings. Marcee and Colin Gray were no longer together, and their children were living with their father at the time of the shooting.
