The father of the mass shooting suspect accused of killing four people at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, told investigators this week he had purchased the gun used in the killings as a holiday present for his son in December 2023, according to two law enforcement sources with direct knowledge of the investigation.

Colt Gray, a 14-year-old student, is accused of killing two students and two teachers with an AR-style rifle in the Wednesday shooting. Nine more people were hospitalized.

One source told CNN the AR-15-style rifle was purchased at a local gun store as a Christmas present.

  • Bytemeister@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1114·
    2 months ago

    Some people see gun usage as a sporting activity. Go out and hit some targets, see how fast, or precise you can be, it’s also fun to just blast things. I could easily see a family that shoots together gifting their child an AR pattern rifle after they got used to shooting mom’s or dad’s firearm. It gives them their own platform to customize and practice on, akin to a musical instrument.

    That being said, I think it should take a lot more trust, awareness, and scrutiny from the parents, which was clearly missing in this case. This is more like giving the keys for your Dodge Pickup to your teen when they are absolutely hammered.

      • Bytemeister@lemmy.worldEnglish
        61·
        2 months ago

        If that’s how you want to read in to it, sure. It less about a gun being as safe, or as socially acceptable, and more about the psychological satisfaction granted from striving to perfect your usage of a tool. I could make the same comparisons to carpentry, archery, cooking, go-karting, golfing…etc.

          • Bytemeister@lemmy.worldEnglish
            35·
            2 months ago

            Cool. I didn’t say anything about child development. Nice looking scarecrow you got there.

            • VARXBLE@lemmy.dbzer0.com
              31·
              2 months ago

              You directly compared owning, customizing, and shooting a gun to the way a child would develop the ability to play a musical instrument. On this article about a 14 year old child being gifted a gun.

              • Bytemeister@lemmy.worldEnglish
                24·
                2 months ago

                You directly compared owning, customizing, and shooting a gun to the way a child would develop the ability to play a musical instrument.

                Where?

                • tomkatt@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  2·
                  2 months ago

                  I could easily see a family that shoots together gifting their child an AR pattern rifle after they got used to shooting mom’s or dad’s firearm. It gives them their own platform to customize and practice on, akin to a musical instrument.

                  It’s literally your comment.

                  • Bytemeister@lemmy.worldEnglish
                    14·
                    2 months ago

                    Hmmm. Maybe I need better glasses, but I sure as hell doesn’t look like I said anything about child development there.