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Georgia dad, convicted after giving his son the gun used in school shooting, seeks new trial

11 articles
5 sources
0% diversity
Updated 7.8.2026
Key Topics & People
Colt Gray *Apalachee High School Georgia Colin Gray Nicholas Primm

Coverage Framing

9
2
Legal & Judicial(9)
Human Interest(2)
Avg Factuality:86%
Avg Sensationalism:Low

Story Timeline

Aug 2 – Aug 8

1 articles|1 sources
school shootingnew trialinvoluntary manslaughtersecond-degree murdergun possession
Legal & Judicial(1)
Associated Press (AP)Aug 7

Georgia dad, convicted after giving his son the gun used in school shooting, seeks new trial

Colin Gray, who was sentenced to 15 years in prison after giving his son the gun used in a deadly 2024 school shooting at Apalachee High School, has requested a new trial. Gray was convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter for his role in the deaths of two students and two teachers. His attorneys argue that the jury's verdict is not supported by the evidence and is contrary to law. Prosecutors stated that Colin Gray gifted his son the semiautomatic rifle, ammunition, and accessories. The son, Colt Gray, received a life sentence without parole for the shooting.

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Key Claims

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Colin Gray, father of the Apalachee High School shooter, seeks a new trial after being convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.

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Colin Gray was sentenced to 15 years in prison for providing the gun used in the school shooting.

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Attorneys for Colin Gray argue the jury's guilty verdict is not supported by evidence and is contrary to law.

— Colin Gray's attorneys

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Two students and two teachers were killed in the Sept. 4, 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School.

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Colin Gray's son, Colt Gray, was sentenced to life in prison without parole for the shooting.

Jul 26 – Aug 1

7 articles|4 sources
school shootingparental responsibilitysecond-degree murdermanslaughtergun sentencing
Legal & Judicial(6)
Associated Press (AP)Jul 30

Father who gave his son the gun used in a Georgia high school shooting faces sentencing

Colin Gray, the father of the Apalachee High School shooter, is facing sentencing after being convicted of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. His son, Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time of the September 4, 2024, shooting that killed two students and two teachers, has already been sentenced to life in prison without parole. Prosecutors stated Colin Gray gifted his son the rifle used in the attack, along with ammunition and accessories. The jury found Colin Gray guilty of second-degree murder for the student deaths, as Georgia law defines this as causing a child's death through cruelty to children, and involuntary manslaughter for the teacher deaths. The elder Gray was also convicted of reckless conduct and cruelty to children.

MeasuredFactual2 sources
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Al JazeeraJul 30

Father of Georgia Apalachee school shooter sentenced to 15 years in prison

Colin Gray, 55, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for second-degree murder and manslaughter in connection with the Apalachee High School shooting carried out by his son, Colt Gray. On September 4, 2024, Colt, then 14, used a SIG Sauer rifle gifted to him by his father to kill four individuals and injure others. Colin Gray was convicted for his role in providing the weapon, despite his ex-wife's concerns about their son's mental state and pleas to secure the firearms. The judge stated Gray failed as a parent by not seeking help for his son or removing his access to guns, even as warning signs, including a shrine to another school shooter, were present. This sentencing reflects a growing trend of holding parents criminally responsible for school shootings committed by their children.

MeasuredFactual3 sources
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South China Morning PostJul 30

US dad who gave gun to high school shooter gets 15 years in prison

Colin Gray was sentenced to 15 years in prison for providing the gun used by his son, Colt Gray, in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia on September 4, 2024. The shooting resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers. Colt Gray had previously pleaded guilty to murder and other charges and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. The district attorney had sought an 80-year sentence for Colin Gray, while his defense lawyer requested a sentence of 10 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation.

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Human Interest(1)
Associated Press (AP)Jul 27

Georgia school shooter had a chaotic childhood and was fixated on mass killings, psychologist says

Colt Gray, 16, pleaded guilty to 55 counts, including murder, for the 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia that killed two teachers and two students. A forensic psychologist testified that Gray had a chaotic and lonely childhood, with parents who used drugs and fought frequently. Gray also immersed himself in online communities focused on mass killings and was "obsessed" with school shooters. While the psychologist believes Gray experienced paranoia, he testified that the teen planned the attack rather than being driven by delusions. The judge will decide Gray's sentence, with victims' families requesting life without parole. Gray's father was previously convicted for providing the rifle used in the shooting.

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Key Claims

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Colin Gray was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his role in the Apalachee High School shooting.

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Colin Gray was convicted of second-degree murder and manslaughter for the deaths of four individuals.

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Colin Gray gifted his son, Colt Gray, the rifle used in the school shooting.

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Colt Gray, the shooter, was sentenced to life in prison without parole.

quote

The judge stated Colin Gray 'failed as a parent' during the sentencing.

— Judge Nicholas Primm

Jul 19 – Jul 25

3 articles|3 sources
school shootingmurder chargesgeorgiaassault-style rifleguilty plea
Legal & Judicial(2)
Al JazeeraJul 24

US school shooter pleads guilty in Georgia following father’s conviction

Colt Gray, 16, has pleaded guilty to 55 charges, including murder, for a 2024 school shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia. The attack resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers, with another teacher and eight students wounded. This plea follows his father, Colin Gray's, conviction for second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, as the elder Gray had provided the assault-style rifle used in the shooting. The case highlights increased scrutiny on parental roles in school shootings. Gray faces a minimum sentence of life in prison. A mother of one of the victims stated she held Gray responsible for his decision to carry out the shooting, despite adults in his life missing warning signs.

MeasuredFactual1 source
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Associated Press (AP)Jul 24

Teen accused in deadly Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia set for plea and sentencing hearing

Colt Gray, 16, is scheduled for a non-negotiated plea and sentencing hearing on Friday for the September 4, 2024, shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia. The incident resulted in the deaths of two students and two teachers, with several others wounded. Gray, who was 14 at the time, had previously pleaded not guilty to murder and other charges. His father, Colin Gray, was convicted in March for his role in providing the assault-style rifle used in the attack and is awaiting sentencing. Prosecutors plan to present evidence including victim and witness testimony, surveillance footage, and crime scene photos. Gray's defense intends to call a psychologist, a juvenile detention center worker, and his grandmother to testify. Investigators found evidence suggesting the shooting was carefully planned by Gray.

MeasuredFactual1 source
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Human Interest(1)
The Guardian - World NewsJul 24

Georgia school shooter handed victims’ families ‘life sentence of trauma’, court hears

At a sentencing hearing in Georgia, Colt Gray, 16, pleaded guilty to 55 charges, including four counts of second-degree murder, for a 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School. The attack resulted in the deaths of two teachers and two 14-year-old students, with eight others wounded. Victims' families described the profound grief and trauma inflicted by Gray's actions. Gray admitted to carrying out the attack, which he planned and executed with an assault-style rifle allegedly provided by his father, who also faces charges. The judge will determine Gray's sentence, with victims' families advocating for life without parole. Evidence presented included Gray's notebook detailing his plans and a shrine to another school shooter found in his room.

Mixed toneFactual3 sources
Negative

Key Claims

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The wife of a teacher killed in a high school shooting in Georgia two years ago told a court that the families of the four victims had been handed “a life sentence of grief and trauma”.

— Shayna Aspinwall

factual

Colt Gray, 16, pleaded to 55 charges, including second-degree murder, during a sentencing hearing.

— article

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Teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, were killed in the shooting.

— article

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Colt Gray’s father, Colin Gray, was convicted on charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter and is scheduled to be sentenced next week.

— article

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Colt Gray, 16, pleaded guilty to 55 charges, including murder, for a 2024 school shooting in Georgia.