(CNN) –– The 14-year-old gunman, who confessed to killing four people at Apalachee High School, was allowed to leave his classroom with his belongings before he returned with a rifle in his backpack, the Bureau of Investigation said Thursday. Georgia.
The revelation supports earlier accounts from students who claimed that Gray had walked out of his Algebra 1 class on the morning of September 4, before carrying out the deadliest school shooting in the United States this year in Winder, Georgia.
“Colt Gray brought the gun to school on his own. The assault rifle could not be disassembled, but Gray hid it in his backpack,” the agency said Thursday.
“Gray asked a teacher if he could go to the main office and talk to someone. The teacher allowed him to leave and take his belongings. Gray went to the bathroom and hid from the teachers. Later, he took out the rifle and started shooting.”
Gray is charged with four counts of murder committed during the commission of another crime and will face additional charges, the Barrow County district attorney said. The 14-year-old will be tried as an adult; If he is convicted, he could face up to life in prison.
His father, Colin Gray, is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of manslaughter and eight counts of cruelty to children. According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Colin Gray gave his son a firearm “with knowledge that he was a threat to himself and others.”
If convicted on all charges, the father could face a maximum prison sentence of up to 180 years.
The attacker and his father did not present statements. A lawyer for Colt Gray declined to comment to CNN, and a lawyer for Colin Gray did not respond to a request for comment.
According to the Gun Violence Archivethere have been at least 389 mass shootings this year, defined as those in which four or more victims are shot. This amounts to an average of more than 1.5 mass shootings each day.
In light of the deaths at Apalachee High School, Georgia House Speaker Jon Burns called for new gun safety and mental health measures in a letter to fellow Republicans.
“We are aware that there is a breakdown in communication between school systems and law enforcement officials that allowed the shooter’s background to go undetected after his transfer to Apalachee High School,” Burns wrote in Thursday’s letter to the Caucus. Georgia House Republican.
“We must ensure our schools have the tools they need to coordinate resources for students who require mental health intervention.”
The House speaker has vowed to reintroduce legislation that incentivizes safe gun storage and encourages gun safety training. Burns also proposed pursuing new technologies to detect firearms outside of school buildings and expand access to mental health care across the state.
Burns’ letter came a day after Democratic state leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Gloria Butler, joined gun violence survivors at the Georgia State Capitol on Wednesday to demand gun safety legislationincluding safe storage measures and warning signs.
–– CNN’s Jamiel Lynch contributed to this report.
