The maternal grandfather of the 14-year-old accused of killing four people at a Georgia high school last week has said that the teenager’s “evil” father bears just as much responsibility for the shooting.
“I understand that Colt [Gray] did it, and he needs to pay the ultimate price,” Charles Polhamus told local station 13WMAZ a day after the shooting at Apalachee High School. “I understand that and I don’t disagree with that, but his dad is as guilty as Colt is.”
Colin Gray, Colt’s father, was arrested on Thursday and charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
Polhamus, 81, said that Gray had verbally abused his family for years. He told CNN that Colt was “just a good kid, but he lived in an environment that was hostile.
“His dad beat up on him,” Polhamus continued. “I mean, I’m not talking about physical, but screaming and hollering, and he did the same thing to my daughter.”
Gray and Polhamus’ daughter, Marcee Gray, are now separated. Colt was living with Gray at the time of the attack.
To the New York Post on Sunday, Polhamus added that Gray was “evil” and had driven Colt “to do what he did.
“That’s as plain as I can put it, and I know I’m right,” he said, adding that Gray deserved “the death penalty.”
Gray faces up to 180 years in prison if convicted. Colt, who surrendered to school resource officers who confronted him shortly after opening fire, faces four counts of murder. He will be tried as an adult, and faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Colt’s turbulent home life came to light following his arrest, with The New York Times reporting on Thursday that the family had been evicted from their home in 2022 after falling behind on rent. Polhamus told the Post that Gray had frittered away the family’s money and fallen into addiction after suffering a back injury.
Colt’s mother, Marcee, similarly struggled with substance abuse issues, and had been ordered to stay away from drugs and alcohol, according to the Times.
“Marcee never did anything to Colt,” Polhamus told the Post. “All she did is help him out.”
A neighbor told the newspaper last week that Marcee had sometimes locked Colt and his sister out of their house, leaving the kids banging on the door in anguish. “It was absolutely devastating,” the neighbor said.
It was reported on Saturday that Marcee had told relatives she had called Apalachee High School less than an hour before Colt’s attack, warning of an “extreme emergency.” Polhamus previously told the Post that Marcee made the call after receiving a text from Colt reading “I’m sorry mom.”
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