Colin Gray, a father from Georgia, has been convicted of murder and other charges after purchasing a firearm for his teenage son, who subsequently used it in the tragic 2024 Apalachee High School shooting.
On Tuesday, a Barrow County jury handed down a guilty verdict on 29 counts, including second-degree murder, cruelty to children, and involuntary manslaughter.
According to the AJC, the prosecution presented a compelling case that Colin Gray had bought an AR-15-style rifle for his son, Colt Gray, in December 2023. This weapon was later used by Colt to attack students and staff at the high school in Winder.
The jury reached a unanimous decision after deliberating for approximately two hours.
Earlier reports from CrimeOnline indicated that Colt Gray, who was 14 years old at the time, carried the rifle into the school on September 4, concealed inside his bag, before opening fire.
After initially hiding in a school bathroom, Colt Gray emerged dressed in yellow work clothes and reportedly shot and killed two students and two teachers.
The victims have been identified as:
- Cristina Irimie, 53
- Richard Aspinwall, 39
- Mason Schermerhorn, 14
- Christian Angulo, 14
Numerous other students were wounded during the incident.
“I would have never given my 14-year-old child a firearm like that… I think most parents wouldn’t have done that,” Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith stated, according to FOX 29.
Smith added that Colin Gray was the only person at the time who could have prevented the shooting. His mother, who testified during the trial, lost custody of her son in October 2023, following a failed drug test.
“We found what she [the mother] did to be morally reprehensible… but in the end of the day, she did not have custody… and she was not the one that provided him the firearms,” he said.
Meanwhile, a status hearing for Colt Gray has been scheduled for March. He’s facing 55 felonies, including including four counts of malice murder.
[Feature Photo: Colt Gray and Colin Gray/Bartow County Sheriff’s Office]
