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Opening Statements Begin in Trial of Georgia Father Accused in Apalachee High School Shooting

Prosecutors say he gifted his son the rifle despite warnings, invoking Georgia’s child‑cruelty path to second‑degree murder.

Overview

  • Colin Gray has pleaded not guilty to 29 counts, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and child cruelty, in Barrow County court in Winder.
  • Jurors selected from neighboring Hall County will hear the case after the judge kept the trial in Winder; opening statements start today with a roughly three‑week schedule and testimony from family members, survivors and experts expected.
  • Investigators say Gray gave his son an AR‑15–style rifle as a 2023 Christmas gift and bought a larger magazine, despite warnings about the teen’s behavior and fixation on school shooters.
  • Authorities say then‑14‑year‑old Colt Gray killed two students and two teachers and injured others on September 4, 2024, then surrendered and told investigators, “I did it.”
  • Colin Gray has been jailed since his arrest; if convicted, he faces 10 to 30 years on each murder count and 1 to 10 years on each manslaughter count, while Colt Gray, now 16, remains charged on 55 felonies and has pleaded not guilty.