What seemed like a normal day for Apalachee High School students soon turned into a nightmare. On Wednesday, Sept. 4, shots rang out, wounding nine and killing four people. The suspect, 14 year-old Colt Gray, has been arrested and charged with four counts of felony murder. 

The U.S. has developed quite the routine after a school shooting occurs; condemn the shooter, debate gun laws, then send thoughts and prayers. It’s a tragic cycle, but there’s one thing about this shooting that sets it apart from the rest. Colin Gray, Colt’s father, has also been arrested, being charged with second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and child cruelty. He could face up to 180 years in prison. 

Charging Gray for the heinous actions of his son is a step forward for this country concerning school shootings. Parents should be held accountable for giving their children access to guns and failing to teach them proper gun safety. 

Georgia Law enforcement did a thorough investigation and warned both Gray and the county that Colt was a danger to himself and others. Colt used Discord to spew hatred and threats of violence, and this behavior alerted the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to his behavior, according to reporting by the Washington Post. 

Notably, Colt’s username was “Lanza” in Russian. This is relevant because it’s a reference to the Sandy Hook school shooter, Adam Lanza. After flagging this alarming behavior, the GBI met with Colin about Colt’s online antics. In defense of Colt’s Russian username, Colin told law enforcement that they didnt speak Russian. 

When asked about firearms, the father told law enforcement that Colt didn’t have ready access to the guns in his home but was allowed to use them when supervised. After concluding the investigation, it was revealed that Colin was in possession of at least six firearms. It’s because of shocking discoveries like this that parents must share the legal responsibility of such inhumane crimes. 

The parents of the Oxford High School shooter were sentenced to 10 years in prison. This case set a new precedent for law enforcement nationwide. It forces parents to pay more attention to their children both inside and outside of school. With new social media platforms, it can be difficult for parents to track their children’s online activity, but it shouldn’t take mass shootings for them to pay attention. 

This new trend may also encourage people to be responsible gun owners. Firearms should be unloaded and kept in a locked safe with ammunition in a separate location. Other household members should also be responsible for knowing gun safety. Access to these weapons should be fully restricted from children and guests of the home. 

Colin allowing his son to use weapons was already a red flag, but unfortunately, so many gun owners allow their children to use firearms for hunting. Gun ownership is so ingrained in American culture that sometimes people forget the purpose of a gun is simply to kill. It’s not meant for child’s play. 

Following simple guidelines and being a responsible gun-owner can potentially decrease the amount of school shootings in this country. This may also decrease the number of people who want to have guns abolished altogether. Firearms aren’t inherently a bad thing, but when owners become neglectful people get hurt or killed. 

It’s clear that gun reform isn’t happening anytime soon, so punishing parents for their children’s crimes may be an effective short-term solution. There definitely needs to be congressional intervention, but for now this will have to do. As sad as it is, keeping an eye on your children and your weapons is key to ensuring safety in schools today.

Jemiah Clemons is a 20-year-old kinesiology junior from Miami, Florida.