KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Traditional pomp and cannon fire on Saturday marked the coronation of Malaysia's billionaire King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, who pledged to govern fairly during the five-year term he will serve under a unique rotating monarchy system.
Sultan Ibrahim, 65, was sworn in on Jan. 31. Saturday’s coronation at the national palace formalized his role as Malaysia’s 17th king in a ceremony steeped in Malay culture and pageantry.
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KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Traditional pomp and cannon fire on Saturday marked the coronation of Malaysia's billionaire King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, who pledged to govern fairly during the five-year term he will serve under a unique rotating monarchy system.
Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah and Queen of Brunei Pengiran Anak Saleha attend the coronation ceremony of the 17th King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, center, sits with Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah, right, during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, right, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah, center, walk away after his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah stand next to the thrones during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah sit on the thrones during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, center left, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah, center right, look on during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, center, participates in his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, kisses a copy of the Quran during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar stands in front of the throne during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, lifts a ceremonial dagger as Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah looks on during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah walk near the throne during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
Nine ethnic Malay state rulers take turns as Malaysia’s king for five-year terms under the country's rotating monarchy, which began when Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957. Malaysia has 13 states but only nine have royal families, some which trace their roots to centuries-old Malay kingdoms that were independent states until they were brought together by the British.
Donned in black and gold traditional ceremonial outfit and headgear, Sultan Ibrahim and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah were greeted by military salute before they proceeded to the throne. The heads of the other royal families, Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah and Bahrain King Hamad Isa al Khalifa were seated on a stage beside the throne.
At the start of the proceedings, a copy of the Quran was presented to the Sultan who kissed it. The monarch received a gold dagger, a symbol of power. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim then pledged his government's loyalty and said the royal institution was a pillar of strength for the nation. He then proclaimed Sultan Ibrahim as Malaysia's new king.
“God willing, I will discharge my duties faithfully and honestly, and to rule fairly,” Sultan Ibrahim said in his coronation speech. He also urged Anwar's government to step up efforts to improve the livelihood of the people and bolster the nation's development. After the sultan took his oath, guests in the hall chanted “Long live the king” three times.
Sultan Ibrahim from southern Johor state bordering Singapore is one of the country’s richest men, with a business empire spanning from telecoms to real estate. He is known for his collection of luxury cars and motorbikes, and is the only state ruler with a small private army — a concession granted to his state when it joined modern-day Malaysia. The sultan is vocal about Malaysian politics, and has spoken out about corruption and racial discrimination.
Known as the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, or He Who is Made Lord, the king plays a largely ceremonial role, with administrative power vested in the prime minister and Parliament. The monarch is the nominal head of the government and armed forces and is regarded as the protector of Islam and Malay tradition.
All laws, Cabinet appointments and the dissolution of Parliament for general elections require his formal assent. The king has the power to proclaim an emergency and pardon criminals.
Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, front right, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, center, and Queen of Brunei Pengiran Anak Saleha attend the coronation ceremony of the 17th King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah and Queen of Brunei Pengiran Anak Saleha attend the coronation ceremony of the 17th King of Malaysia Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, center, sits with Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah, right, during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, right, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah, center, walk away after his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah stand next to the thrones during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah sit on the thrones during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, center left, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah, center right, look on during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, center, participates in his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, kisses a copy of the Quran during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar stands in front of the throne during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, lifts a ceremonial dagger as Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah looks on during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
The 17th King of Malaysia, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, left, and Queen Raja Zarith Sofiah walk near the throne during his coronation at the National Palace in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Saturday, July 20, 2024. (Hasnoor Hussain/Pool Photo via AP)
WINDER, Ga. (AP) — The 14-year-old suspect in a shooting that killed four people at a Georgia high school and his father, who was arrested for allowing his son to have a weapon, will stay in custody after their lawyers decided not to seek bail Friday.
Colt Gray, who has been charged with four counts of murder, is accused of using a semiautomatic assault-style rifle to kill two fellow students and two teachers Wednesday at Apalachee High School in Winder, outside Atlanta. His father, Colin Gray, faces related charges in the latest attempt by prosecutors to hold parents responsible for their children’s actions in school shootings.
The two appeared in back-to-back hearings Friday morning with about 50 onlookers in the courtroom, where workers had set out boxes of tissue along the benches, in addition to members of the media and sheriff’s deputies. Some victims' family members in the front row hugged each other and one woman clutched a stuffed animal.
During his hearing, Colt Gray, wearing khaki pants and a green shirt, was advised of his rights as well as the charges and penalties he faced for the shooting at the school where he was a student.
After the hearing, he was escorted out in shackles at the wrists and ankles. The judge then called the teen back to the courtroom to correct an earlier misstatement that his crimes could be punishable by death. Because he’s a juvenile, the maximum penalty he would face is life without parole. The judge also set another hearing for Dec. 4.
Shortly afterward, Colin Gray was brought into court dressed in a gray-striped jail uniform. Colin Gray, 54, was charged Thursday in connection with the shooting and answered questions in a barely audible croak, giving his age and saying he finished 11th grade, earning a high school equivalency diploma.
Colin Gray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder related to the shooting, Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said.
“His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon,” Hosey said.
The charges come five months after Michigan parents Jennifer and James Crumbley were the first convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting. They were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison for not securing a firearm at home and acting indifferently to signs of their son’s deteriorating mental health before he killed four students in 2021. The Georgia shootings have also renewed debate about safe storage laws for guns and have parents wondering how to talk to their children about school shootings and trauma.
The Barrow County hearings for the father and son came as police in the Atlanta suburb of Dunwoody said schools there and nationwide have received threats of violence since the Apalachee High School shooting, police said in a statement. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation also noted that numerous threats have been made to schools across the state this week.
Before Colin Gray’s arrest was reported, the AP knocked on the door of a home listed as his address seeking comment about his son’s arrest.
According to arrest warrants obtained by The Associated Press, Colt Gray is accused of using a “black semi-automatic AR-15 style rifle” to kill the two students and two teachers. Authorities have not offered any motive or explained how he obtained the gun or got it into the school.
He was charged as an adult in the deaths of Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Nine people were also hurt in Wednesday’s attack.
A neighbor remembered Schermerhorn as inquisitive when he was a little boy. Aspinwall and Irimie were both math teachers, and Aspinwall also helped coach the school's football team. Irimie, who immigrated from Romania, volunteered at a local church, where she taught dance.
Colt Gray denied threatening to carry out a school shooting when authorities interviewed him last year about a menacing post on social media, according to a sheriff’s report obtained Thursday. Conflicting evidence on the post’s origin left investigators unable to arrest anyone, the report said. Jackson County Sheriff Janis Mangum said she reviewed the report from May 2023 and found nothing that would have justified bringing charges at the time.
The attack was the latest among dozens of school shootings across the U.S. in recent years, including especially deadly ones in Newtown, Connecticut; Parkland, Florida; and Uvalde, Texas. The classroom killings have set off fervent debates about gun control but there has been little change to national gun laws.
It was the 30th mass killing in the U.S. so far this year, according to a database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University. At least 127 people have died in those killings, which are defined as events in which four or more people die within a 24-hour period, not including the killer — the same definition used by the FBI.
Martin reported from Atlanta. Associated Press journalists Charlotte Kramon, Sharon Johnson, Mike Stewart and Erik Verduzco in Winder; Trenton Daniel and Beatrice Dupuy in New York; Eric Tucker in Washington; Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia; Kate Brumback in Atlanta; and Mark Thiessen in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed to this report.
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, 14, enters the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance, on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Colt Gray, charged as an adult with four counts of murder, sits in the Barrow County courthouse during his first appearance for the Wednesday shooting at Apalachee High School, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, 14, sits in the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance, on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, 14, enters the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance, on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, 14, enters the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance, on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, 14, enters the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance, on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Barrow County Superior Court Judge Currie Mingledorff II speaks during a first appearance of Colt Gray at the Barrow County courthouse for the Wednesday shooting at Apalachee High School, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)
Colt Gray departs the Barrow County courthouse during his first appearance for the Wednesday shooting at Apalachee High School, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)
Colt Gray leaves the the Barrow County courthouse after his first appearance for the Wednesday shooting at Apalachee High School, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)
Colt Gray, left, sits in the Barrow County courthouse during his first appearance for the Wednesday shooting at Apalachee High School, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)
Colt Gray leaves the the Barrow County courthouse after his first appearance for the Wednesday shooting at Apalachee High School, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)
Colt Gray, charged as an adult with four counts of murder, sits in the Barrow County courthouse during his first appearance for the Wednesday shooting at Apalachee High School, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool)
Mourners pray during a candlelight vigil for the slain students and teachers at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Mourners pray during a candlelight vigil for the slain students and teachers at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
People leave Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A medical helicopter is seen in front of Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Students and parents walk off campus at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Mourners hold candles during a candlelight vigil for the slain students and teachers at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A family leaves a memorial where the American and state of Georgia flags fly half-staff after a shooting Wednesday at Apalachee High School, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Mourners pray during a candlelight vigil for the slain students and teachers at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Parents walk their child out of Apalachee High School after a shooting at the school Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Mourners listen to a speaker during a candlelight vigil for the slain students and teachers at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Chimain Douglas, of Grayson, Ga., cries near Apalachee High School as she mourns for the slain students and teachers on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The rental home of Colt Gray, the 14-year-old suspect who has been charged as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday, Sept. 4., at Apalachee High School, is shown Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
This booking image provided by the Barrow County, Ga., Sheriff's Office shows Colt Gray, the 14-year-old suspect who has been charged as an adult with murder in the shootings Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, at Apalachee High School in Winder, Ga. (Barrow County Sheriff's Office via AP)
Brandy Rickaba and her daughter Emilie pray during a candlelight vigil for the slain students and teachers at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Mark Gorman holds a candle during a candlelight vigil for the slain students and teachers at Apalachee High School, Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Chimain Douglas, of Grayson, Ga., kneels near Apalachee High School as she mourns for the slain students and teachers on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Linda Carter, of Grayson, Ga., kneels near Apalachee High School to place flowers as she mourns for the slain students and teachers on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
The American and state of Georgia flags fly half-staff after a shooting Wednesday at Apalachee High School, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
A student weeps at a makeshift memorial after a shooting Wednesday at Apalachee High School, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Two students view a memorial as the flags fly half-staff after a shooting Wednesday at Apalachee High School, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
People embrace at a makeshift memorial after a shooting Wednesday at Apalachee High School, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024, in Winder, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
