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SEPTEMBER 4: A woman demonstrates with banners near the scene of the mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, USA on September 4, 2024. At least four people were killed and nine were taken to various hospitals with injuries

ATLANTA – The Georgia Bureau of Investigation and the Barrow County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday evening the arrest of Colin Gray, the father of 14-year-old Colt Gray, who is accused of killing four people and wounding nine others in a mass shooting at Apalachee High School on Wednesday. Colin Gray faces several charges.

RELATED: The father of the suspect in the Apalachee High School shooting was also arrested

Holding parents accountable

This arrest is part of a growing trend of parents being held accountable for crimes committed by their children. A similar case involved Ethan Crumbley, a 15-year-old who killed four students at Oxford High School in Michigan in 2021. Ethan’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were convicted of manslaughter earlier this year. Prosecutors argued they failed to secure the weapon used in the shooting and ignored clear signs of their son’s mental health issues, according to the Associated Press.

The Crumbleys were informed of a disturbing drawing Ethan had made for a math assignment just hours before the shooting. The sketch depicted a gun, a bullet, and an injured person. When asked, Ethan stated he was devastated by the deaths of his dog and grandmother and the loss of a friend who had recently moved. Neither Ethan nor his parents mentioned that they had purchased a Sig Sauer 9mm just four days earlier, although the gun was part of the drawing. The school did not require the Crumbleys to bring Ethan home, but a counselor advised them to seek help for him within 48 hours. Later that day, Ethan used the gun to kill four students and injure six others and a teacher.

During the trial, prosecutors stressed that the parents were not being held responsible for Ethan’s actions, but for their own mistakes. The Crumbleys had not sought help for their son, despite his pleas in a diary where he wrote, “I have no help of any kind for my mental health issues and that makes me shoot up at school.” Both parents expressed regret for the tragedy, but the jury found them guilty. The verdict was a landmark decision that drew national attention and sparked debates about parental responsibility in mass shootings. James and Jennifer Crumbley were sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison, while Ethan is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

The Crumbleys’ case is not an isolated one. In Illinois, Robert Crimo Jr., the father of the Fourth of July parade shooter, was charged with signing his son’s application for a state gun license despite his questionable behavior. He pleaded guilty to seven counts of reckless conduct and received probation, jail time and community service. In Virginia, Deja Taylor, the mother of a six-year-old who shot and killed his teacher, was sentenced to two years in prison for child neglect. In addition, the school’s former assistant principal, Ebony Parker, was charged with child neglect after ignoring warnings that the child may have had a gun on him.

Not everyone is in favor of stricter laws and punishments

Some fear that taking responsibility for their children’s actions could disproportionately affect black or poor parents, according to The Marshall Project. A bill in Tennessee, the Parental Accountability Act, would fine parents up to $1,000 if their child commits multiple crimes. Maryland is also considering criminally prosecuting parents for their children’s crimes. In Nevada, a 2022 law makes parents civilly liable if their minor children use or possess firearms after a conviction.

Although the concept of parental responsibility is not new, dating back to 1903, there is no empirical evidence that punishing parents reduces juvenile delinquency, according to The 74. However, there are laws in almost all U.S. states that make parents civilly liable for juvenile delinquency.

Number of states that have laws that hold parents criminally liable

At least 42 states and the District of Columbia have laws that can hold parents criminally liable for the actions of their children. These laws vary widely. Some states focus on the negligence of parents who deny their children access to firearms, while others target more general forms of criminal behavior.

Under Georgia law, criminal liability exists when parents are found to have contributed to their child’s criminal behavior through neglect or lack of supervision. For example, if a parent knowingly gives a child access to firearms or behaves recklessly, resulting in harm, they may face criminal charges such as manslaughter or child abuse. Each case is assessed based on the specifics of the parent’s role and actions.

For more detailed information on the current law in Georgia, click here.

Georgia Senate Committee looks into the issue

On Thursday, Sarah Walker, spokeswoman for Georgia Moms for Change, became emotional as she voiced the fears of many parents following the Apalachee High School shooting. During a Georgia Senate committee meeting, she urged lawmakers to take decisive action against gun violence, saying, “The thought of sending a child to school and never seeing them again is a typical American nightmare.” Walker stressed that while thoughts and prayers are important, the problem can ultimately be solved through legislation and policy.

RELATED: Apalachee High School shooting is top issue at Georgia Senate committee meeting

Georgia lawmakers, including Rep. Yasmine Neal and members of the Georgia Senate Safe Firearm Storage Study Committee, feel the urgency to act. The state had already increased funding for school safety in 2023, but discussions are ongoing about further measures to prevent gun violence without violating Second Amendment rights. State Senator Emanuel Jones stressed the importance of securing firearms and holding gun owners accountable, emphasizing that there are steps lawmakers can take to increase safety.

Charges filed against father of suspect in Apalachee High School shooting

Colin Gray is charged with four counts of manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of child abuse. Colin Gray is being held at the Barrow County Detention Center, and no details of his court date have been released. Colin Gray is scheduled to appear in court virtually on September 6 at 8:30 a.m.