Trial to Begin for Father of Apalachee High School Shooting Suspect

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Jury selection is set to begin Monday in the trial of Colin Gray, the father of the teenager accused of killing two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Georgia in September 2024. Gray faces 29 counts, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, related to the shooting. Prosecutors allege Gray gave his son, Colt Gray, access to the gun and ammunition used in the attack despite warnings about his son's deteriorating mental health and obsession with school shooters.

Why it matters

This case is one of a handful around the country where parents have been charged with crimes related to acts of violence committed by their children. It raises questions about parental responsibility and the role of gun access in school shootings.

The details

According to the indictment, Colin Gray committed cruelty to children by giving his 14-year-old son, Colt, access to a gun and ammunition 'after receiving sufficient warning that Colt Gray would harm and endanger the bodily safety of another.' Investigators say Colt Gray carefully planned the September 2024 shooting, including writing step-by-step plans in a notebook. Colin Gray had given his son the gun as a gift the previous Christmas and later bought a larger magazine for the weapon at his son's request.

• Jury selection is set to begin on Monday, February 10, 2026.
• The shooting at Apalachee High School occurred on September 4, 2024.

What they’re saying

What’s next

The judge in the case has set a status hearing in the case for mid-March 2026 to discuss the progress of the trial.