Accused Georgia school shooter Colt Gray, father Colin, make first court appearance

Sept. 6 (UPI) -- Both the accused Georgia school shooter Colt Gray and his father, Colin Gray, made brief separate court appearances Friday morning on murder charges in Georgia's Apalachee High School shooting.

Colt Gray, 14, faces four felony murder counts. His father Colin, 54, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder, four of manslaughter and eight of cruelty to children.

Barrow County Superior Court Judge Currie Mingledorff told the teen he could get life in prison if convicted -- the maximum sentence due to Gray's age. For adults, the death penalty would have been possible.

With victims' families in the courtroom, Colt Gray appeared briefly in handcuffs and chains wearing a green shirt and tan pants.

Judge Mingledorff told Colin Gray he could get 30 years in prison for each second-degree murder count and up to 10 years on the involuntary manslaughter counts. He also faces up to 10 years on each of eight counts of cruelty to children.

The defendants did not enter pleas and they did not request bond during the hearings.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey told reporters that the charges against the father "stem from Mr. Gray knowingly allowing his son, Colt, to posses a weapon."

Two students -- 14-year-old Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo -- and two teachers -- Richard Aspenwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53 00 were killed and nine others wounded in the shooting at Apalachee High School in the Atlanta suburb of Winder City Wednesday.

Colt Gray is accused of using an AR-style rifle to gun down the victims.

According to an aunt of Colt Gray, the 14-year-old accused murderer had been " begging for months " for help with his mental health before allegedly carrying out the mass shooting at the school.

Annie Brown said adults around him failed him.

She said Gray's grandmother last week went to see a school counselor and said one week before the accused shooter attacked the grandmother said in a text message that he "starts with the therapist tomorrow."