BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — The mother of the accused Apalachee High shooter has issued an open letter apologizing to victims, saying she will "personally never forgive myself for what has happened."
The letter was reported Wednesday by CNN.
Wednesday marks one week since the mass shooting at the Barrow County high school, in which four people were killed -- two students, 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn and 14-year-old Christian Angulo; and two teachers, 53-year-old Cristina Irmie and 39-year-old Richard Aspinwall. Nine were also injured.
The accused shooter, 14-year-old Colt Gray, has been charged with four counts of felony murder. His father, Colin Gray, also faces charges including second-degree murder for allegedly giving his son an AR-15-style gun despite "knowing he poised a danger to himself and others."
Colt Gray's mother, Marcee Gray, addressed her letter to the "parents and families affected by the tragic events at Apalachee High School" and told them, "I want to say that I am so sorry from the bottom of my heart."
CNN said it was provided the letter directly by Marcee Gray.
In it, she referenced the two students who were killed, saying, "If I could take the place of Mason and Christian, I would without a second thought." She also wrote her "heart breaks for the 2 teachers who gave their lives while in the service of teaching and protecting our children.”
Colt Gray's aunt, Annie Brown, previously told 11Alive that Marcee Gray called the school the day of the shooting to warn about the possibility of an "extreme emergency," an element of the case that has now drawn significant focus.
The Washington Post first reported those details, which included that Marcee Gray told a school counselor her 14-year-old son needed to be found immediately and that an administrator went to his math class looking for the teen that morning, but he was not in the room; the administrator reportedly left with a bag that belonged to another student with a similar name.
CNN also previously reported, citing Colt Gray's grandfather, that Marcee Gray received a text from Colt the morning of the shooting that said, "I'm sorry, mom."
According to CNN's report on Marcee Gray's letter, it does not contain further details on the events that preceded the shooting.
She wrote, “We are all in a living nightmare right now, and I will personally never forgive myself for what has happened,” adding that her son is "not a monster."
Marcee Gray called him "my oldest baby" and described him as "quiet, thoughtful, caring, funny, and extremely intelligent," asking that people "please pray for him and the rest of our family, as I am praying for all of you every moment of every day."
Colt Gray and his father Colin are next due in court on Dec. 4 for preliminary hearings.