Just two days after 16-year-old Colt Gray received a life sentence for a tragic school shooting, his father, Colin Gray, was handed a 15-year sentence for his part in the 2024 incident in Barrow County, Georgia.
Colin Gray was found guilty on March 3, 2026, of 27 charges, which included second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, after he provided his son with an assault-style rifle later used in the shooting that left four dead.
This case is notable as it’s the first time in U.S. history that a parent has been convicted of second-degree murder in connection with a school shooting.
“What we’re really referencing is this new phenomenon of parents being charged in conjunction with crimes that their children are committing,” remarked Judge Nicholas Primm. “It’s a divisive case.”
Colt Gray was charged as an adult with 55 counts, including murder and aggravated assault, connected to the September 4, 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School, which resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers, in addition to several wounded.
At Colt’s emotional sentencing, where he pleaded guilty to all charges, multiple family members and survivors shared their experiences.
Judge Primm indicated that Colin Gray’s conviction was due, in part, to his failure to seek help for his son or keep firearms away from him, particularly as warning signs became more pronounced.
“No parent thinks that their child is going to be the next school shooter, but it became more and more obvious that something bad was going to happen,” the judge commented.
In addressing Colin Gray, the judge stated that simply securing firearms with gun locks or removing ammunition could have changed the outcome.
“You didn’t intend to commit these crimes that you’ve been convicted of, but the loss here is profound,” Primm noted while delivering the sentence. “I have to distinguish your actions from those of Colt Gray.”
According to prosecutors, Colin Gray ignored several past violent behaviors exhibited by his teenage son and failed to recognize the signs of his deteriorating mental health.
The jury viewed body-cam footage from May 21, 2023, showing law enforcement visiting their home following an FBI tip about an online threat from Colt.
Colin Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift that same year.
Under questioning, Colin acknowledged keeping multiple unsecured firearms in an unlocked closet, with his son sometimes storing a rifle in his own room.
He also admitted to being aware of his son’s previous violent actions, mental health issues, and a photograph of a mass shooter hanging in the teenager’s room. Moreover, weeks before the tragedy, Colt sent him a chilling message, warning, “Whenever something happens, just know the blood is on your hands.”
Prosecutors revealed that the teenager was infatuated with notable mass shooters, including those involved in the Columbine and Sandy Hook tragedies.
Investigators found evidence of a shrine in Colt’s room celebrating Nikolas Cruz, the perpetrator of the 2018 Parkland school shooting that resulted in the deaths of 14 students and three staff members.
Currently, Colt Gray is being held at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center but will transition to the Georgia Department of Corrections upon turning 18, where his father will also serve his sentence.
