Colin Gray, Father of School Shooter Suspect, Could Face Life Behind Bars
"A child/minor should not have access to weapons. Point blank period."
Published March 4 2026, 12:54 p.m. ET
Sept. 4, 2024, marked a day of heartbreak and despair for many families and the community in Winder, Ga. Fourteen-year-old Colt Gray allegedly opened fire at Apalachee High School, killing two students and two teachers and injuring nine others.
While Colt hasn’t yet faced trial and sentencing, his father, Colin Gray, has, and is likely to spend the rest of his life behind bars, paying for the crimes his son allegedly carried out (Colt is presumed innocent until proven guilty, hence the use of “allegedly”). A jury found Colin guilty on multiple charges on March 3, 2026, for actions his son has been accused of committing. Here are the details of his sentencing.
Details on Colin Gray's sentencing, including the time he's looking at behind bars.
Colin Gray listening to the jury delivering their verdict on March 3, 2026.
While it isn’t exactly common for a parent to take on the legal implications of their child’s criminal activity, if their actions played a role in enabling it or they saw warning signs and did nothing, they can be held responsible. And that seems to be the case with the Apalachee High School shooting that occurred on Sept. 4, 2024, in Winder, Ga.
On March 3, 2026, Colin Gray faced a court and jury, and in under two hours, he received a fate he had hoped wouldn’t come — he was found guilty on the 27 charges filed against him, according to NBC News. Gray was found guilty on two counts of second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. NBC News notes that what’s unique about this case is that a cruelty-to-children charge was embedded within the second-degree murder charge.
In order for Colin to be convicted of second-degree murder, he also had to be found guilty of cruelty to children, which he was. And here’s why.
According to CNN, Gray had previously given his son, Colt, an AR-15-style rifle for Christmas.
Colt had access to the weapon despite his father knowing he could potentially harm others. This was reportedly made obvious because Colt had shown warning signs over the years that he might be a risk to others. As a result, the jury found Colin guilty of cruelty to children, which included 18 separate counts.
Based on the evidence, Colt’s troubling history, and the fact that his father allowed him access to a deadly weapon, the jury didn’t need more than two hours to reach a verdict at the Barrow County Courthouse. Making the case even worse for Colin, his estranged wife had allegedly warned him that Colt’s access to guns should be cut off prior to the 2024 school shooting, per NBC News. The outlet also noted that after the verdict was read, Gray showed no sign of emotion.
In terms of his sentencing, Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm had not set a date, citing, “There are a lot of people that need to be notified and have a right to appear.” However, NBC News noted that Gray is facing up to 243 years behind bars.
Where is Colt Gray now?
Colt Gray is being held at Gainesville Regional Youth Detention Center in Gainesville, Ga., per the Georgia Bureau of Investigation website. While a trial date has not yet been set, as a psychological evaluation is apparently pending, he is scheduled for a hearing on March 18, 2026, per CBS News.