Mother of Apalachee High School shooter apologizes to victims’ families in open letter

Atlanta (CNN) — The mother of the teenager accused of killing four people during last week’s shooting at a Georgia high school has apologized to the victims’ families in an open letter while insisting her son “is not a monster.”

“To the parents and families of those affected by the tragic events at Apalachee High School, I want to say that I am so sorry from the bottom of my heart,” Marcee Gray, the mother of 14-year-old Colt Gray, wrote in the letter, which she provided first to CNN.

The letter comes one week after the shooting, as questions mount about efforts to prevent the shooting following the revelation Marcee Gray called the school prior to the attack to warn of an “extreme emergency.”

The shooting left two teachers and two students dead at the high school in Winder, Georgia. Seven others were wounded and two others suffered other injuries, authorities said.

“If I could take the place of Mason and Christian, I would without a second thought,” Marcee Gray wrote, referring to the two 14-year-olds killed in the mass shooting. “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.”

Gray added her “heart breaks for the 2 teachers who gave their lives while in the service of teaching and protecting our children,” acknowledging Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, who also were killed.

“We are all in a living nightmare right now, and I will personally never forgive myself for what has happened,” she wrote. “My son Colt is not a monster. 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.”

CNN is reaching out to victims’ families for comment on the letter.

The shooter is separated from other minors

Colt Gray is charged with four counts of felony murder and will be tried as an adult. But because of his age, the 14-year-old must remain in the custody of Georgia’s juvenile justice system.

The teen has been “segregated” from other youth while he is in custody, said Glenn Allen, a spokesperson for the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.

Allen declined to comment when asked whether Colt Gray has received any visitors.

‘I’m sorry, mom’

Marcee Gray received a text the morning of the shooting from her son that read, “I’m sorry, mom,” her father previously told CNN. It was concerning enough that Marcee Gray called the school to warn of an “extreme emergency” at 9:50 a.m., about 30 minutes before police responded to the school for a shooting, according to call logs and a text exchange between Marcee Gray and her sister, who provided them to CNN.

Marcee Gray’s father, Charles Polhamus, told CNN she spoke with a school counselor for about 10 minutes.

“The counselor said, ‘Well, I wanted to let you know that earlier this morning one of Colt’s teachers had sent me an email that said Colt had been making references to school shootings,’” Marcee Gray said in an interview with ABC News that aired Tuesday, recalling that conversation.

“I told them it was an extreme emergency and for them to go immediately and find Colt to check on him,” Marcee Gray later said in a text message to her sister. “I don’t understand what took them so long.”

Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith has told CNN there were no prior warnings of a possible threat. But at least one of the victims’ families said they believe the shooting could have been stopped.

“We believe it was preventable — 100%,” Lisette Angulo, the sister of Christian Angulo, told CNN Monday. “They knew of the situation beforehand and didn’t take proper action to prevent this tragedy from happening.”

The suspect’s father, Colin Gray, 54, has also been charged, accused of knowingly providing his son a weapon. He faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.

Neither father nor son has entered a plea.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

CNN’s Isabel Rosales reported from Atlanta while Dakin Andone reported and wrote this story in New York. CNN’s Devon Sayers contributed to this report.

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