As a staunch 2nd Amendment supporter and a responsible gun owner, it infuriates me to see someone so careless with firearms, especially when the warning signs were blaring long before tragedy struck. The recent case in Georgia, where a school shooting took four innocent lives and left nine others wounded, has brought to the surface the bitter truth: negligence can be just as dangerous as any anti-gun legislation.
Colin Gray, the father of the alleged shooter, Colt Gray, now faces multiple charges, including manslaughter, second-degree murder, and child cruelty. While some may question the severity of the charges, I’m not one of them. What I find unfathomable is how any father, especially after being interviewed by the FBI in 2023 about his son’s online threats, could still allow his child unsupervised access to firearms.
My Own Experience as a Gun Owner and Parent
I’ve been a gun owner for as long as I can remember, and I took my daughter shooting at our local gun range regularly. Like many of you, I’ve had the proper training and respect for firearms ingrained in me from day one. In New York (outside NYC), I received my concealed carry permit only after extensive training from the Sheriff’s office, which hammered home the seriousness of gun safety.
When my daughter was growing up, I made sure she understood that a gun is never a toy. Safety came first, and I never left a firearm unlocked or accessible. I was the only person with the combination to the gun safe in our home. Why? Because guns are serious business, and it’s our duty as responsible gun owners to treat them with the respect they deserve.
A Year of Warnings: How Could This Happen?
Let’s take a hard look at the facts in this Georgia case. Over a year before the deadly school shooting, the FBI got wind of a disturbing online post from Colt Gray. He threatened to “shoot up a middle school” on Discord, a messaging app popular among gamers. The threat was serious enough to prompt an FBI tip to local authorities, who visited the Gray home in May 2023 to investigate.
The officers interviewed both Colt and his father, Colin. During this visit, Colin admitted that guns were in the home but claimed they were unloaded and secured. He chalked up Colt’s behavior to being bullied at school and assured the officers that his son had been taught gun safety. But here’s the kicker: despite these warning signs, nothing was done. No action was taken, and the firearms remained accessible to a troubled young boy. It was only a matter of time before tragedy struck.
The Charges Against Colin Gray: A Justified Response
Some may argue that the charges against Colin Gray—four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children—are too severe. But let’s be real for a second: this isn’t just about poor parenting; this is about blatant negligence in the face of clear and present danger.
Colin knew his son was struggling. He knew his son had made threats online that caught the attention of the FBI. Yet, he still allowed Colt access to firearms. In what world does that make sense? How does any responsible gun owner, especially one who’s been warned, allow a 14-year-old, who had previously been investigated for threats of violence, to have unsupervised access to weapons?
This isn’t about whether or not Colin should be held accountable. He should. This is about whether the charges are justified. And I say yes—they are. The law must hold people responsible for their actions, especially when those actions lead to the deaths of four innocent people. The fact that these charges are being filed is a necessary step to sending a message to gun owners everywhere: you don’t get to be negligent and call it an accident.
What Does This Mean for Gun Owners?
This case is a harsh reminder that our right to bear arms is deeply tied to our responsibility as gun owners. Let me be clear: I am a staunch defender of the 2nd Amendment. I believe in the right to own and carry firearms for protection, sport, and personal freedom. But that right comes with an unwavering duty to practice proper gun safety.
Colin Gray failed that test miserably. This wasn’t a case of a responsible gun owner who took all the right precautions and still faced tragedy. No, this was a parent who ignored every warning sign and left the door wide open for disaster. And for that, he must be held accountable. The charges against him are a direct reflection of the severity of his negligence.
This isn’t an attack on gun ownership; it’s a call to uphold the responsibilities that come with owning firearms. If we, as a gun-owning community, don’t hold ourselves to the highest standards, who will? The left is always looking for reasons to restrict our rights, and cases like this only add fuel to their fire.
The Importance of Securing Firearms
If there’s one thing we all agree on as responsible gun owners, it’s that securing firearms is non-negotiable. In my home, every gun is locked in a safe, and I’m the only person who knows the combination. That’s not overkill; that’s common sense.
Colin Gray didn’t take those precautions. He allowed his son, who had been flagged for making violent threats, access to firearms. How can we defend that kind of behavior? We can’t. This is negligence, pure and simple. And it’s a betrayal of the core values that we, as 2nd Amendment supporters, hold dear: responsibility, safety, and respect for the power of firearms.
A Final Thought: Accountability Matters
At the end of the day, this case isn’t just about one father and his mistakes. It’s about the broader message we send as a society about gun ownership and accountability. Colin Gray made terrible decisions, and his negligence led to the deaths of four people. The law is right to hold him accountable, and I believe the severity of the charges reflects the gravity of his failures as a gun owner and as a parent.
We must stand firm in our belief that the 2nd Amendment is essential to our freedoms, but we cannot allow negligence like this to go unchecked. Colin Gray’s actions—and inactions—have cost lives, and for that, he must face the consequences.
What do you think? Should Colin Gray face these severe charges, or do you believe the law is going too far in this case? Let’s have an honest discussion about the responsibilities that come with gun ownership and what it means to protect our rights while ensuring the safety of our communities.
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Please comment below.
Jimmy
h/t: Steadfast and Loyal
Why did the kid have access to any guns being that he had a history of making threats to kill people… that was the very first question my wife and I both asked each other when we heard about this. The guns in our house are controlled by each of us at all times, whether they’re locked in the safe or in our possession.