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Father of Apalachee Shooter Sentenced to 15 Years

This ruling tests Georgia's legal theory that parents can be criminally liable for their children's shootings, potentially shaping future prosecutions and household gun‑storage.

FILE - Colin Gray, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, arrives to the courtroom at the Barrow County courthouse on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, in Winder,Ga. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
Colin Gray, 54, the father of Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, 14, who is charged as an adult with four counts of murder in the deaths of Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, enters the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance, in Winder, U.S., September 6, 2024. Brynn Anderson/Pool via REUTERS
An evidence photo presented in court shows unsecured guns on the top shelf of a closet in the bedroom Colin Gray shared with his youngest son.

Overview

  • Colin Gray was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday after a March jury convicted him on 27 counts, including two counts of second‑degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, cruelty to children and reckless conduct.
  • His son, Colt Gray, pleaded guilty to 55 counts including murder and was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole on Tuesday for the Sept. 4, 2024, attack at Apalachee High School.
  • Prosecutors presented evidence that Colin Gray bought an AR‑15‑style rifle as a Christmas gift, supplied ammunition and accessories, stored guns unlocked in the home, and ignored warnings including a May 21, 2023 law‑enforcement visit after an FBI tip.
  • The Sep. 4, 2024, shooting left students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie dead and wounded nine others, and victims' families gave emotional impact statements urging a stiff sentence.
  • Legal experts and prosecutors say the case — the first parent murder conviction tied to a school shooting in Georgia — may prompt more parental prosecutions, affect charging choices, and influence debates over safe‑storage rules and school‑safety policy.