Teen’s grandfather argues for death penalty for Georgia school shooter’s dad

The grandfather of the teenager accused of a tragic school shooting in Georgia, which resulted in the deaths of two teachers and two students, has expressed his views on the situation. Charles Polhamus, 81, the maternal grandfather of 14-year-old Colt Gray, stated that his grandson’s father should face the death penalty.

Polhamus holds his former son-in-law, Colin Gray, responsible for influencing Colt’s alleged violent actions. In an interview, he referred to Colin as “evil” and emphasized the detrimental effect of Colin’s behavior on Colt. “Spending 11 years with that son of a b**** screaming and hollering every day — it can affect anybody,” he told a news outlet.

While Polhamus acknowledged that Colt must face the consequences for the alleged school shooting, he insisted that his father played a significant role in pushing him toward violence. He articulated, “Colt has to pay for what he did, but I’m telling you, he was driven, no question in my mind. He was driven by his father to do what he did. That’s as plain as I can put it, and I know I’m right.”

Colin Gray has been charged with multiple counts, including four counts of manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder, and eight counts of cruelty to children. Authorities believe that he provided Colt with the AR-15-style rifle that was used during the shooting.

Polhamus expressed a strong opinion about Colin’s charges, asserting that he “got what he deserved” and went on to say that he should receive the death penalty. If convicted, Colin could face up to 180 years in prison.

Colt Gray, facing charges of four counts of murder, will be tried as an adult. If found guilty, he could potentially spend the rest of his life in prison. Polhamus, while angered by the events, maintains that Colt was a “good kid” before being influenced negatively by his father’s conduct, describing him as having been raised by a “dysfunctional dad who was a screamer and a hollerer.”

Additionally, Polhamus insists his daughter, Colt’s mother, is a good person who tried to support her son, despite having a complicated past with numerous drug and domestic violence arrests. A neighbor has come forward, sharing her observations of Colt’s childhood, stating that at times, Colt and his sister would be locked out of the house, pleading for their mother’s attention.

“They would be banging on the back door, just screaming like, ‘Mom! Mom! Mom!’ and crying. It was absolutely devastating,” the neighbor, who chose to remain anonymous, reported.

On the day of the shooting, Colt reportedly sent a text to his mother saying, “I’m sorry, mom.” She attempted to contact the school in an effort to alert them to her son’s potential for violence; however, her warning came too late, as the shooting had already taken place by the time she received Colt’s message.