Apalachee HS shooting: Testimony continues 4th day in Colin Gray trial
Colin Gray in court. FOX 5 Atlanta image
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - Testimony will resume for a fourth day in the trial of Colin Gray, the father of the accused Colt Gray shooter, as prosecutors continued building their case that he ignored warning signs and enabled his son’s access to the rifle used in the deadly attack at Apalachee High School.
Gray faces nearly 30 charges, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, in connection with the September 2024 shooting that killed four people and injured nine others. Prosecutors have argued that he purchased the rifle as a Christmas gift for his son despite concerns about the teen’s mental health.
What jurors heard on Day 3
What they're saying:
On Wednesday, the court heard from a school administrator, who detailed a frantic attempt to locate the shooter roughly 90 minutes before the first shots were fired. A teacher had alerted the administrator after becoming "very nervous and obviously distressed" by the student’s behavior and his heavy backpack.
Jury sees gun used in Apalachee school shooting
Day three of the Colin Gray trial continued on Wednesday. Jurors saw the gun used in the Apalachee High School shooting and a medical examiner testified about the wounds victim's received.
However, a series of clerical hurdles delayed the intervention. Because the only photo in the school system was an "outdated fourth-grade photo," they mistakenly pulled a different student with a nearly identical name for questioning. By the time the error was realized, the suspect had already left his classroom.
Jurors then heard additional testimony from investigators who detailed how the weapon was obtained and stored, and what steps — if any — were taken to restrict the teen’s access to it.
The state also walked investigators and jurors through how it was processed after deputies took the suspect into custody. Crime scene technicians testified it took several days to fully process the school and collect evidence.
The courtroom remained quiet as jurors viewed additional photographs from inside the school, including images from the smoke-filled hallway where deputies testified they encountered the suspect.
A responding deputy also described hearing what sounded like a "muffled snare drum" before realizing it was gunfire. He told jurors, "There was a brief moment where we didn’t hear gunfire. So we’re trying to orient and see which direction to go, because you have two options."
After turning a corner, he said deputies encountered "A lot of smoke and dust in the hallway," adding that "the dust and everything shook down. Making it very hard to see." He testified that the suspect "was compliant" when taken into custody.
It was also revealed that the shooter fired 36 shots during the attack.
A medical examiner previously testified that the four victims — Mason Schermerhorn, Christian Angulo, Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie — suffered catastrophic injuries.
"In all of these cases, the injuries that were sustained, even if they were sustained in front of a hospital, I don’t believe they would have survived," Dr. Mattox told the court.
The prosecution’s theory
What they're saying:
Prosecutors contend Gray is criminally responsible for the shooting because he allegedly knew of warning signs and still allowed access to the firearm. They argue he failed to intervene despite red flags about his son’s behavior and potential for violence.
The other side:
Defense attorneys have maintained that Gray did not foresee the attack and have suggested that responsibility lies solely with the shooter.
What's next:
Testimony is expected to continue Thursday morning, with more witnesses anticipated as the state works to establish what Gray knew and when he knew it.