JEFFERSON, Ga. – A conversation on the porch in River Mist Circle involved two local sheriffs and a father-son duo, lacking any sense of urgency. The atmosphere was friendly and calm, which is surprising given that it followed an FBI tip about a child threatening to carry out a school shooting with an AR-15.

“I have to trust what you’re saying, and I hope you’re being truthful,” said Jackson County Sheriff’s Investigator Daniel Miller Jr. while speaking to Colt Gray, a soft-spoken 13-year-old who expressed his aspirations to be a philosopher and claimed he meant no harm.

Fast forward nearly 16 months, this exchange sheds light on what local authorities, the FBI, and school officials understood about Gray—along with his troubling family circumstances—prior to the tragic shooting that claimed the lives of two teachers and two students at Apalachee High School last week. This incident also highlights how law enforcement interacts with potential mass shooters, the warning signs they may reveal, and how investigations follow up on alarming reports regarding students across the nation.

According to a transcript of the body camera footage from May 2023, Miller and Deputy Justin Elliott posed several questions about Colt’s school experience, including whether he faced bullying or if he spoke Russian. They focused on the foreign language because a social media threat had Russian elements and mentioned Adam Lanza, the perpetrator of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

The officers did not enter the home after Colt’s father, Colin Gray, indicated there were firearms inside. Colin explained that the guns were for hunting and accessible to Colt, who he noted experienced some social difficulties and challenges in school.

Ultimately, the officers closed the case, despite Colt being quiet and not providing much information regarding online threats made against the school.

During the questioning, Colt Gray asserted that he was not responsible for the threat made on the Discord platform and claimed ignorance of it. “No. I only use TikTok to watch videos,” he stated to the police.

Although he had experienced bullying and sought counseling, Colt insisted that he would never engage in violence and didn’t know anyone else who would consider it. He mentioned having moved six times and finding it tough to make friends in some schools he attended.

“Surprisingly, I did have friends at my last school,” Colt told the officers. “I can’t really explain why I would say that,” he said, likely referring to the threats of violence he faced.

At the conversation’s conclusion, the sheriffs found no immediate threat based on the information gathered, according to Jackson County documentation.

“I couldn’t confirm the tip,” Miller noted in a report from the 2023 visit that was accessed by YSL News. “Currently, due to the inconsistent nature of the information received from the FBI, we can’t substantiate the claim that either Colt or Colin is behind the Discord account that issued the threat. This case will be closed without further action.”

‘I’m a Good Boy, Daddy’

In a follow-up call, Sheriff Miller learned that Colin Gray’s son was taken aback by the police visit. “He’s like, I can’t believe this is happening,” Colin recalled his son saying, adding, “He’s like, I’m a good boy, Daddy. I would never do something like that.”

Colin Gray expressed disbelief that his son could engage in such acts, but did acknowledge some of his son’s difficulties in social situations that often required Colin to meet with school officials.

He mentioned that Colt easily became flustered and acknowledged the presence of firearms in their home, emphasizing that Colt handled them responsibly and had recently gone hunting, where he shot his first deer on a father-son outing.

Throughout the police questioning, Colt was polite, responding with “Oh, yes sir” as needed.

and agreeing with the questions posed to him.

Ultimately, Miller and Elliott informed the Grays that they would give the father and son the benefit of the doubt in their report.

“I’m not saying you’re being dishonest,” Miller, who primarily conducted the questioning, stated, “but it’s not uncommon for individuals to deceive the police. Understand?”

‘Unable to verify much’

As they returned to their patrol cars, Miller and Elliott seemed to consider the issue resolved.

“Do you want to handle the report, or shall I?” Miller inquired.

“It doesn’t matter. This will just be an informational report or an agency assist. We made contact with these individuals, and they appeared unaware,” Elliott responded, alluding to the FBI, which had relayed the threat information to Jackson County after receiving reports from three different informants worldwide, including one from Australia.

“At this stage, we’re pretty much unable to verify anything,” Miller stated.

“No,” Elliott concurred.

“So until we receive more details regarding this alleged tip from the FBI…” Miller continued.

“We’ll simply draft an agency assist report for the FBI, write it up, and I’ll be finished,” Elliott completed his partner’s thought.

Questions arise after the Apalachee High mass shooting

Almost 16 months later, the initial response is sparking inquiries about whether the two officers, alongside other law enforcement, school officials, and family members, did enough to prevent the mass shooting at Apalachee High.

According to some family members, the signs were evident; they claimed the boy had been signaling for help for many months. The boy’s maternal grandmother informed reporters that Colt had been pushed towards violence by a father who gained custody after his mother faced drug-related issues.

Just last Wednesday, Colt Gray, now 14, allegedly used an AR-style firearm in a shooting that resembled a threat made online in May 2023.

The boy complied and surrendered shortly after the shootings occurred in and around an algebra classroom. He was quickly apprehended and faces four counts of murder and, despite being just 14, will be treated as an adult in court. If convicted, he could spend life in prison without the chance of parole.

Colin Gray, 54, has also been arrested and faces 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.

“These charges arise from Mr. Gray allowing his son, Colt, to have access to a weapon,” stated GBI Director Chris Hosey. “His charges are closely linked to his son’s actions and permitting him to handle a firearm.”

‘Threats of school shooting at unknown time and place’

Following the shooting, the FBI’s Atlanta office released a statement confirming that their National Threat Operations Center received “numerous anonymous tips regarding online threats to carry out a school shooting at an unspecified location and time,” which were forwarded to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office “for appropriate action.”

“These online threats included images of firearms,” the FBI stated.

“The father indicated that there were hunting firearms in the home, but claimed the subject did not have unsupervised access to them,” the FBI noted. “The individual denied making online threats. Jackson County was advised to keep a close watch on the subject.”

However, the FBI concluded, “At that moment, there was insufficient probable cause for an arrest or further law enforcement intervention at any level.”

A review by YSL News of the body camera recordings suggests that the two deputies could have taken additional precautions. For instance, they did not inquire whether the family possessed any AR-style firearms in their home.

“Colt mentioned he used to have a Discord account but deleted it before moving due to fears it may have been hacked,” Miller noted in his “Investigator’s Face Sheet,” an informal report. “Colt showed concern that someone was accusing him of threatening a school shooting, insisting he would never make such comments, even jokingly.”

As for the father, Miller recorded, “Colin stated that he had firearms stored at home. However, they are hunting rifles. He clarified that Colt could use them only under supervision and does not have unrestricted access.”

In his final report, Elliott also seemed to perceive the case as resolved.

“The juvenile appeared quiet, calm, and reserved during our conversation with him and his father, Colin. Investigator Miller provided Colin with a business card, requesting that the sheriff’s office be contacted if the juvenile or he recalls any comments made on Discord,” Elliott noted in his “Miscellaneous Incident Report.” After listing the case numbers, he concluded, “We returned to service, nothing more to report at this time.”

‘A significant oversight’

Felipe Rodriguez, an adjunct professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and a former detective sergeant with the New York City Police Department, criticized the officers who interviewed Gray.

“They approached the situation as if it were their very first day out of training,” Rodriguez remarked about how the deputies took the child’s statements without further investigation. “Competent officers gather facts and verify them. Failing to corroborate leads to mistakes, and that reflects poorly on us.”

A major oversight, he asserted, was not entering the home to verify whether the elder Gray’s firearms were stored safely or to inspect the environment for issues like cleanliness or food scarcity—warning signs that might have warranted contacting child protective services.

Rodriguez stated, “This was the moment to seek some external assistance, to interrupt the recurring situation and avert this incident,” mentioning that there were “countless ways to access the house,” ranging from requesting water to exploring Gray’s curiosity in “philosophy” to review his writings on the subject.

He noted that the officers didn’t inquire further with Gray about their responses or provide Gray’s father with information regarding the family’s previous encounters with law enforcement, which included 911 calls and an eviction from a year prior.

Rodriguez pointed out that Colt matched the characteristics of a typical mass shooter: a young, white male who preferred solitude.

“We’re seeing mass shootings increasing every day; it’s crucial to take every possible action,” Rodriguez remarked. Instead, “they were chatting and joking as if the kid had simply taken a cupcake.”

‘Looking back, it’s easy to criticize the police’

Looking back, it’s always clearer after the fact, especially considering the unfortunate outcomes that unfolded over a year after Colt Gray and his father were questioned, said former FBI supervisory agent and attorney Katherine Schweit, who is now a leading expert and author on strategies for preventing active shooter incidents in schools.

Schweit commented that the FBI acted appropriately in these scenarios by forwarding the tip to local law enforcement for investigation, ensuring necessary actions were taken and follow-ups made.

Given the calm demeanor of the boy, the denials from both father and son, and the absence of any apparent distress, it’s challenging to assign blame to the local investigators without more details, Schweit explained to YSL News.

“In retrospect, it’s simple to say the police should have interpreted this comment differently or taken additional steps, but in reality, police face such scenarios daily across the country and must decide if further actions are warranted,” said Schweit, who helped establish the FBI’s Active Shooter Program.

After leaving the FBI, she founded and currently leads the anti-mass shooting advocacy and training organization “Stop the Killing.”

“Clearly, it would be beneficial for police to have guidelines on when to consult schools and for schools to know when to reach out to police,” Schweit noted.

“We are continually working on developing such protocols, but the occurrence of this shooting highlights the need for improvement,” she emphasized. “Enhancing our communication is key. While this won’t eliminate every potential shooting, it may improve our chances of preventing some.”