Colin Gray, father of Apalachee HS shooting suspect, found guilty

ATLANTA - A Barrow County jury on Tuesday found Colin Gray guilty on all counts in connection with the 2024 mass shooting at Apalachee High School.

What we know:

Jurors deliberated for less than two hours before returning a unanimous verdict. Gray, 55, now faces up to 180 years in prison. Sentencing was deferred.

Prosecutors charged Gray with 29 felony counts, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children. They argued he enabled access to the AR-15-style rifle authorities say his 14-year-old son, Colt Gray, used in the Sept. 4, 2024 attack.

Investigators said the teen opened fire inside the school near Winder, killing teachers Cristina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. Nine others were injured before the shooter was taken into custody.

Sobbing could be heard in the courtroom as the verdict was read. Gray appeared to be mostly emotionless as the long list of verdicts were read. At the end of the reading, he stood up behind the defense table and was placed in handcuffs. 

District Attorney reacts to verdict

What they're saying:

Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith emphasized that the prosecution was not about the son's alleged crimes, but specifically about the father's independent choices and responsibilities.

"I would have never given my 14-year-old child a firearm like that... I think most parents wouldn't have done that," Smith explained.

He expressed that while the "blame game" often targets various individuals, the evidence showed that Gray was the only person with all the necessary information to prevent the tragedy. Smith noted that while the mother’s actions may have been "morally reprehensible," she lacked the legal custody and proximity to the firearms required for criminal charges.

"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," Smith said. 

The prosecutor also touched on the emotional toll the case took on his team, stating they worked tirelessly to honor the victims' families. He concluded by framing the duty to protect children as a "God-given duty" that transcends legal rights, hoping the verdict allows the community to begin a long healing process.

"God gave us a duty to protect our children. And I hope that we remember that as parents, as community members... because that is our God-giving duty," Smith concluded. 

Barrow County School Board releases statement

Barrow County district leaders said after the verdict that the community is continuing to heal from the tragic shooting and thanked those who have guided them through the difficult time. Their statement is in full below. 

"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.

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.

We are thankful to those in our community - the District Attorney's office, first responders, law enforcement, our staff, and so many others - who cared for us and helped guide us through difficult times.

Together, we will continue to support one another, heal, and overcome."

Attorneys speak to broader implications

One defense attorney FOX 5 spoke with, who is not affiliated with the case, called the length of the juror deliberation surprising. 

"This is a much more complicated thing where it's kind of a unique theory of holding someone criminally responsible. So I did expect there to be significantly more discussion from the jury. So I'm surprised," said defense attorney Ryan Brown.

Another outside attorney said the verdict sends a clear message to parents who may face similar situations. 

"There is a very clear message sent from this case. It is if you are a gun owner, you need to be a responsible gun owner. You should make sure that folks in your life that have mental health challenges, that have a proclivity towards violence, do not have access to your weapons. And that is particularly true for your children," said Attorney Alex Weatherby. 

Dig deeper:

During closing arguments Monday, prosecutors told jurors the shooting lasted 41 seconds but left lasting devastation.

"For 41 seconds. Those 41 seconds forever altered the lives of the students of Apalachee High School, their parents, and everyone in this community," prosecutors said. "But his father, Colin, the man he lived with, bears responsibility, too, for the murder of Mason Schermerhorn, Christian Angulo, Cristina Irimie, and Richard Aspinwall at Apalachee High School."

Prosecutors replayed body camera footage and cited text messages they said showed Gray was aware his son was struggling. They argued he should not have purchased the rifle months earlier as a Christmas gift and pointed to school discipline records, prior threats reported to law enforcement and online searches seeking help for a "troubled teen."

Defense attorneys contended the state was improperly extending criminal liability to a parent for the actions of his child. They described Gray as a single father managing family turmoil and his son’s behavioral challenges.

"This young man right here. This is the person who went into the high school and shot and killed four people he didn't even know," the defense said, referring to Colt Gray.

Gray testified in his own defense, telling jurors he bonded with his son through hunting and target practice and required firearms to remain unloaded.

"He had a healthy respect for weapons," Gray testified.

The case has drawn national attention as one of the rare prosecutions seeking to hold a parent criminally responsible in connection with a school shooting carried out by a child.

The case was among the first in the nation to seek to hold a parent criminally responsible for allegedly enabling a child’s access to a firearm used in a school shooting. In a similar case that went to trial in Michigan, the parents of a school shooter were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to prison.

What's next:

Sentencing was deferred to a later date to allow families to be in attendance to deliver statements before a sentence is determined.

PREVIOUS TRIAL STORIES

• Colin Gray trial: Case turned over to jury for deliberations
• Colin Gray trial: Father claims he never saw signs of 'evil' in son
• Colin Gray trial: State expected to show footage from school shooting
• Colin Gray trial: State rests, Colin Gray to testify on Friday
• Apalachee HS shooting trial: Colt Gray's sister says dad told her to lie to investigators
• Colin Gray: Prosecution to rest after school shooting video
• Apalachee HS shooting: Colt Gray's mother describes 'aggressive and unpredictable' behavior
• Apalachee HS shooting: Students testify on day 2 of Colin Gray trial
• Apalachee HS shooting: Deputy describes interaction with Colin Gray
• Apalachee High School shooting: Colin Gray trial starts with emotional testimony