Father of Accused Georgia School Shooter Goes on Trial

Students recount horror of being shot as prosecutors seek to hold father responsible for providing gun

Published on Feb. 19, 2026

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Students in Georgia have testified in court about the terror of a school shooting that left two teachers and two students dead and several others wounded. The trial is of Colin Gray, the father of the accused shooter, Colt Gray, who was 14 years old at the time of the 2024 attack. Prosecutors are arguing that Colin Gray should be held responsible for providing the weapon to his son despite warnings about alleged threats he had made.

Why it matters

This case is one of several around the nation where prosecutors are trying to hold parents responsible after their children are accused in fatal shootings. It raises questions about parental accountability and whether more can be done to prevent such tragedies by addressing warning signs and restricting access to firearms.

The details

Colt Gray is accused of carefully planning the September 4, 2024 shooting at a high school northeast of Atlanta. Students who testified described the horror of being shot, seeing classmates bleeding, and fearing they might die. Prosecutors say Colin Gray knew his son was obsessed with school shooters and had deteriorating mental health, but still gave him the gun used in the attack as a Christmas gift and continued to buy him ammunition.

  • The shooting occurred on September 4, 2024.
  • In September 2021, Colt Gray used a school computer to search 'how to kill your dad'.
  • In May 2023, law enforcement acted on an FBI tip about a shooting threat traced to a computer at the Gray home.
  • Three weeks before the shooting, Colin Gray received a chilling text from his son: 'Whenever something happens, just know the blood is on your hands'.

The players

Colin Gray

The father of the accused shooter, Colt Gray, who is on trial for providing the gun used in the attack despite warnings about his son's alleged threats.

Colt Gray

The 14-year-old accused of carefully planning and carrying out the 2024 school shooting that left two teachers and two students dead.

Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith

The prosecutor arguing that Colin Gray should be held responsible for his son's actions by providing him the weapon.

Brian Hobbs

The attorney for Colin Gray, who says the shooting's planning and timing 'were hidden by Colt Gray from his father'.

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What they’re saying

“I was also worried that I was going to die and how that would affect my parents because my dad has a heart problem.”

— Ninth-grade student (wdbo.com)

“I remember yelling at him that we were kids, because we were kids.”

— Ninth-grade student (wdbo.com)

“This case is about this defendant and his actions in allowing a child that he has custody over access to a firearm and ammunition after being warned that that child was going to harm others.”

— Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith (wdbo.com)

“That's the difference between tragedy and criminal liability. You cannot hold someone criminally responsible for failing to predict what was intentionally hidden from them.”

— Brian Hobbs, Attorney for Colin Gray (wdbo.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Colin Gray out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex issues of parental responsibility and accountability when it comes to gun violence in schools. It raises questions about how to better identify and address warning signs, as well as the role that access to firearms plays in these tragic events.