It is perverse irony that the basis for the charges against Colin Gray are that he “knowingly” enabled Colt Gray to have access to a firearm.

Perhaps everyone should take a closer look at what people around Colt Gray “knowingly” allowed to happen.

Lauren Vickers, who lived next-door to the Grays in Jefferson, Georgia, said there were “problems immediately” when the Grays and their three children moved into the well-manicured neighborhood 60 miles east of Atlanta in 2022.

“There were nights where the mom would lock him and his sister out the house. And they would be banging on the back door, just screaming like ‘Mom! mom! mom!’ and crying. It was absolutely devastating,” she said.

Two young children locked out of their house at night and begging to be let in. That’s what Lauren Vickers is describing here.

At a minimum she “knowingly” allowed children to exist in an abusive and dangerous situation.

Others have reported witnessing the mother driving Colt Gray and his sister to school drunk. At a minimum they “knowingly” allowed Marcee Gray to continue to be a danger to her children and to others.

Everyone is lamenting Colt Gray’s “broken family” now. But the neighbors—and almost certainly the teachers at his school—”knowingly” allowed that broken family environment to continue.

There is no escaping one simple reality: People knew Colt Gray was heading into crisis. And yet he continued heading into crisis.

Colt Gray needs to answer for what he has done. The DA wants Colin Gray to answer for what Colt Gray has done as well.

But what about everyone who plainly knew Colt Gray was either in crisis or heading into crisis? Will they answer for what they did not do?

Danger is supposed to invite rescue. A cry of distress is supposed to summon relief.

The red flags were there. The warning signs were evident. The cry of distress was happening. Was anybody listening?