Georgia Teen School Shooter and Father Indicted by Grand Jury in Fatal High School Shooting

Indictments Include Murder, Manslaughter, and Cruelty to Children

A Georgia grand jury has indicted a 14-year-old boy and his father in the tragic September school shooting that claimed the lives of two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. The Barrow County grand jury delivered a 55-count indictment against the accused shooter, Colt Gray, and 29 counts against his father, Colin Gray, for their roles in the fatal attack.

Charges Against the Teen Shooter

Colt Gray, a ninth grader, has been charged with four counts of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, along with additional charges of aggravated assault and cruelty to children. Prosecutors allege that Colt carried an AR-15-style rifle concealed in his backpack, using a roll of poster board to hide the barrel, before opening fire on September 4, killing four people and wounding nine others. Colt Gray is being tried as an adult and could face life in prison if convicted.

Charges Against the Father

Colin Gray, 54, faces a total of 29 criminal counts, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless conduct, for purchasing the firearm and large-capacity ammunition magazines used in the attack. In a legal strategy used in previous cases, prosecutors are charging the father with second-degree murder for enabling his son’s access to the firearm, marking another instance of parents being held accountable for their child’s actions in a school shooting.

Legal Precedent and National Attention

The case has drawn attention due to the emerging legal precedent of holding parents responsible in school shootings. This approach was notably used in Michigan earlier this year, when the parents of a teen involved in a 2021 school shooting were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison. The Michigan case marked the first time parents were charged with manslaughter for their child’s actions in a school shooting.

Prosecutors in the Georgia case argue that Colin Gray purchased the AR-15 as a Christmas gift for his son and ignored warning signs about the boy’s mental health and potential for violence. The father also reportedly bought large-capacity magazines at Colt’s request.

Legal Proceedings

Colin Gray had previously pleaded not guilty to initial charges of involuntary manslaughter and second-degree murder. He faces a potential sentence of up to 180 years in prison if convicted on all counts. Both father and son are being held without bond and are scheduled for arraignment on the latest indictments on November 21, when they may enter formal pleas.