High school shooting suspect warned he will face life in prison as dad sobs uncontrollably as they face judge after bloody school assault
By Emily Crane,
2024-09-06
Suspected Georgia school shooter Colt Gray appeared in shackles in court Friday — followed almost immediately by his dad, who was told he faced up to 180 years if convicted of helping his son get the AR-style rifle allegedly used to kill four students and teachers.
The 14-year-old accused gunman, dressed in green prison garb, faced Barrow County Court for a brief bond hearing after being charged as an adult with four counts of murder over Wednesday’s rampage at Apalachee High School.
The teen, who is being held at the Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center, stared straight ahead with his shaggy blonde hair obscuring his face as the judge initially informed him he could face the death penalty if convicted.
Gray, who did not enter a plea, was escorted from the court with his wrists and ankles shackled after his lawyer declined to seek bail.
But Judge Currie Mingledorff quickly hauled Gray back to the court to correct himself, telling the youth he wouldn’t be eligible for the death penalty given he is younger than 18 years old and, instead, could face life in prison.
His father, Colin Gray, 54, appeared in the same courtroom moments later after being slapped with a slew of charges Thursday, including ones tied to supplying the AR-15-style rifle allegedly used in the massacre.
The father, dressed in a gray-striped jail uniform, closed his eyes and rocked back-and-forth in his seat as the judge informed him faced up to 180 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
The elder Gray, whose lawyer also declined to seek bail, is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children.
The grief-stricken relatives of at least one the victims were seated in the first row of the courtroom for the back-to-back hearings and could be seen, at one point, tearfully clutching a soft toy.
Before the hearings got underway, courthouse employees set out boxes of tissue along the courtroom benches.
He was taken into custody just minutes after allegedly gunning down his victims and later told investigators “I did it” while being interrogated, Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith told CNN. Investigators haven’t yet released a motive for the bloodshed.
They are scrambling to piece together if there were any additional warning signs after authorities first paid a visit to his home in May 2023 over a school shooting threat he’d made on social media, investigators said.
Meanwhile, Gray’s father has also since been charged in connection with the shooting.
The father had allegedly bought the AR-style assault rifle for Colt as a Christmas gift just months after cops interviewed the pair over the online threats, law enforcement sources told The Post.
“His charges are directly connected with the actions of his son and allowing him to possess a weapon,” said Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey.
His son has been charged with four counts of murder over the deaths of two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, as well as two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53.
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I think the FBI OR whoever went to that boys home should be held accountable as well.
robert tisei
17d ago
no.jail give this piece of shit tge death penalty no.pleas no reduced time death.penaty within.60 days slow and psinfull and nake fsmily and friends watch and listen to.him die this scum ag father get 30 yesrs and not a day less
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