Jurors on Monday began deliberations in a high-profile case that asks whether a father provided and enabled a firearm used in a deadly school shooting in Georgia.
The defendant, 55-year-old Colin Gray, faces 29 charges tied to the September 2024 attack at Apalachee High School in Winder, about an hour northeast of Atlanta. Among those counts are two charges of second-degree murder and two counts of involuntary manslaughter, plus reckless conduct and other counts related to actions by his son, Colt, prosecutors said during closing arguments.
Prosecutors' closing
In closing, prosecutor Patricia Brooks told jurors the case was focused on responsibility for arming the teen and enabling the attack. "The case is 'about who armed Colt and who enabled him to do what he did,'" Brooks said, emphasizing the link prosecutors drew between the firearm and the events at the high school.
The alleged shooter, Colt Gray, was 14 at the time of the shooting and faces his own set of charges. A separate case for Colt has not yet been scheduled. Prosecutors have charged him with 55 counts, including four counts of malice murder and four counts of felony murder.
Defense presentation
Colin Gray pleaded not guilty and was the only witness the defense called during the 11-day trial. He testified in his own defense, describing efforts to hold his family together amid financial stress, arguments with his son and a separation from his estranged wife. He said he had been trying to be a good father and did not imagine his son would perpetrate the attack.
Defense attorneys told jurors that the rifle was purchased as a Christmas gift to create bonding opportunities around deer hunting and target practice. In his testimony, the elder Gray acknowledged he "could have done more," and spoke emotionally about his family and his intentions.
In closing for the defense, attorney Jimmy Berry cautioned jurors that the community sought answers but urged them to base their decision on the evidence and the law. "You have to decide the case on facts and the law, not emotion," he told the panel.
Evidence and testimony shown at trial
Prosecutors presented testimony and exhibits intended to show warning signs they say the elder Gray ignored. They pointed to Colt's conduct, including reports of acting out at school and violence at home, and to the presence in the young man's bedroom of a large shrine to other mass school shooters.
Jurors viewed body camera footage from deputies who responded to the home after the shooting. In that video, Colin Gray is heard saying, "God. I knew it, man. My little girl just texted me." The footage also captures him telling deputies, "We're trying to get him into counseling."
Colin Gray's estranged wife, Marcee Gray, testified to the jury that she had encouraged steps to prevent access to the guns, and that she implored her husband to keep firearms away from Colt. The defense disputed that he ignored efforts to get Colt help, depicting a father who believed he was attempting to address problems within a fractured household.
Victims and community reaction
Four people died in the shooting: students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, both 14, and teachers Cristina Irimie, 53, and Richard Aspinwall, 39. Seven others were wounded in the attack.
The trial has been watched closely by a community searching for answers about how such violence could unfold. Prosecutors and some local leaders have framed criminal prosecutions of parents in similar cases as one avenue for accountability when courts find parental responsibility was clear.
Related precedent cited at trial
Prosecutors and observers noted a 2024 case in Michigan in which jurors determined that the parents of a 15-year-old who killed four students in 2021 had given their son a gun and overlooked warning signs. In that case, Jennifer and James Crumbley were later sentenced to terms of 10 to 15 years in prison on manslaughter convictions.
Prosecutors in the Georgia case referenced that outcome as an example of how some communities and legal authorities have responded when evidence points to parental involvement in enabling school shootings. Defense counsel countered by underscoring differences in each case and cautioned jurors to focus on the facts before them.
Next steps
After closing arguments concluded on Monday, the jurors began their deliberations in Piedmont Circuit Superior Court before Chief Judge Nicholas Primm. The outcome of their deliberations will determine whether Colin Gray is convicted on any of the 29 counts he faces. The trial for his son remains pending and has not yet been scheduled.