A Georgia jury has found Colin Gray, the father of accused Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, guilty on all counts for his role in the 2024 attack that left four people dead and several others wounded at the Winder, Georgia, campus.
Jurors in Barrow County returned the verdict Tuesday after less than two hours of deliberation, convicting the 55-year-old on 29 charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, multiple counts of involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children. Gray now faces a potential sentence of up to 180 years in prison, though the judge has not yet set a date for sentencing.
Prosecutors argued that Gray bore criminal responsibility because he bought the AR-15-style rifle his then-14-year-old son allegedly used in the September 4, 2024, shooting at Apalachee High School and allowed him access to it.
Investigators said the weapon was a Christmas gift for Colt, despite prior warnings from law enforcement and signs of the teen's fixation on school shootings, according to NBC News.
The attack killed two students, 14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and two teachers, 39-year-old teacher and coach Richard Aspinwall and 53-year-old math teacher Cristina Irimie. Nine additional people, including eight students and one teacher, were injured in the shooting, which officials have described as the deadliest school shooting in Georgia's history.
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During the trial, jurors saw photos of Colt's bedroom that showed posters and references to mass shooters, including the gunman who killed 17 people at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, ABC News reported.
Witnesses also described behavioral and disciplinary problems, including violent outbursts at home and extremist graffiti at school, which prosecutors said Gray failed to address with mental health treatment or tighter gun security.
Gray took the stand in his own defense and acknowledged his son's struggles, including bullying and anger, but insisted he never believed Colt would carry out a shooting or harm anyone. He showed little visible reaction as the guilty verdicts were read, before deputies handcuffed him and led him from the courtroom.
Colt Gray, now 16, remains jailed and has been charged with murder and other offenses in the Apalachee High School attack. His trial date has not been set as evaluations and evidence review continue, as per the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.
