Jury finds father of accused Apalachee High School shooter guilty of murder, all other charges

The jury has found Colin Gray, the man whose teenage son is accused of killing two students and two teachers in a shooting at Georgia’s Apalachee High School, guilty of second-degree murder and all other charges.

On Tuesday, after just a few hours of deliberating and two weeks of witness testimony, the jury announced that they had come to a verdict.

Gray was charged with 29 counts, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and cruelty to children. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges. Two of the charges had been dropped, leaving the jury finding him guilty of 27.

His prosecution marks the third time a parent has been charged for their connection to a mass shooting allegedly carried out by their child, and the first adult charged in connection with a school shooting in Georgia.

Gray’s sentencing hearing has not been scheduled. He faces up to 30 years in prison for the second-degree murder charges and up to 180 years in total.

Four dead in Apalachee High School shooting

Investigators say on Sept. 4, 2024, then-14-year-old Colt Gray carried a semiautomatic assault-style rifle onto the school bus, with the barrel sticking out of his book bag, wrapped up in a poster board. They say the boy left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the rifle before shooting people in a classroom and hallways.

Killed in the shooting were 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Another teacher and eight other students were wounded.

Authorities say the teen carefully plotted the shooting at his Barrow County high school, including allegedly leaving a notebook with handwritten instructions detailing the steps to prepare for the violence and a diagram of his classroom.

Attorneys argue Colin Gray’s accountability for shooting

Prosecutors argued that Colin Gray gave his son the weapon used in the shooting and ammunition despite multiple warning signs that the boy’s mental state was deteriorating.

During closing arguments, the prosecution argued that Colin Gray was “one person who could have prevented” the mass shooting, pointing to signs that included multiple instances of violence in the years and months prior as well as what they called a “shrine” to Nikolas Cruz, convicted of the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.

“After seeing sign after sign of his son’s deteriorating mental state, his violence, his school shooter obsession, the defendant had sufficient warning that his son was a bomb just waiting to go off,” Barrow County Assistant District Attorney Patricia Brooks told jurors. “And instead of disarming him, he gave him the detonator.”

Colin Gray has admitted to giving his son the rifle, but said that he hoped to bond with Colt while hunting and shooting at the gun range.

The defense argued that the teen should be the one held accountable, saying that Colin Gray did not know that his son was capable of such a violent act. 

“Everybody wants to see somebody go to jail other than this young man right here,” Attorney Jimmy Barry said, showing the jury a picture of Colt Gray during his closing arguments. “This is the person who went into the high school and shot and killed four people he didn’t even know and injured scores of others. This is the person who needs to be punished. He made a conscious decision to do this – a secretive decision.”

Colt Gray faces 55 counts, including murder and aggravated assault. He has previously pleaded not guilty. The teen’s trial date has not been set.

Barrow County Schools responds to guilty verdict

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Barrow County School District said that it was thankful to the District Attorney’s office, law enforcement, and first responders who have helped during the “difficult times.”

“Our community has endured profound loss, heartache, and challenges since the 2024 tragedy at Apalachee High School. Yet alongside that pain, we have witnessed uplifting acts of kindness, unity, and remarkable strength,” the school district said. “As a school system, we strive to honor and grow from what we experienced and to keep a steady focus on what is best for our students, staff, and families who depend on us. “

The Associated Press contributed to this report.