Colt Gray Sentenced to Life; Father Gets 15 Years for Providing Rifle

Colt Gray, 16, was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without parole plus an additional 20 years for killing four people at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024. Two days later, his father Colin Gray, 55, received 15 years in prison after a jury convicted him of second-degree murder and other charges for purchasing the SIG Sauer SIGM400 rifle his son used in the attack. The case marks a landmark moment in parental accountability for school shootings.

The Apalachee High School shooting and its victims

On September 4, 2024, Colt Gray opened fire at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. The shooting killed four people: students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie. Eight students were injured. Colt Gray pleaded guilty to all 55 charges against him, including four counts of murder.

Why Colin Gray was convicted of murder

Colin Gray, Colt’s father, was found guilty in March of 27 counts, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, cruelty to children, and reckless conduct. Prosecutors showed that law enforcement warned Gray in 2023 to restrict his son’s access to guns. Despite this warning, Gray bought his son the assault rifle as a Christmas present. Evidence revealed that Colt had an obsession with mass shooters and kept a shrine in his bedroom dedicated to the Parkland, Florida shooter from 2018. Judge Nicholas Primm noted that “the warning lights were flashing brighter and brighter” yet Gray failed to act.

Sentencing and appeal plans

On July 30, 2026, Judge Primm sentenced Colin Gray to 15 years in prison, with all counts running concurrently. Prosecutors had sought 80 years. Gray’s defense attorneys announced plans to appeal. Colt Gray was sentenced two days earlier to life without parole plus 20 years. Gray will begin serving his sentence immediately.

Why Colt’s mother will not face charges

Marcee Gray, Colt’s mother, has not been charged despite jailhouse conversations between her and her son being played in court. Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said in March that prosecutors considered charges but found no legal basis. “At the end of the day, she did not have custody of Colt, she did not have proximity to Colt, and she was not the one that provided him the firearms,” Smith said. He noted she took some steps to have firearms removed. Marcee Gray had previously lost custody of her children following allegations of drug abuse and child neglect. Breanna Schermerhorn, mother of victim Mason Schermerhorn, expressed anger at the decision, saying in court: “She should be in jail now.”

Final Thoughts

Colin Gray is the first parent in the United States convicted of murder for a child’s school shooting. The case underscores growing legal accountability for parents who ignore warnings about their children’s violent obsessions and provide them access to firearms.

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