Apalachee HS shooting: Trial delayed for Colin Gray, father of shooting suspect
Colin Gray's trial pushed back
The September trial date for the father of the accused Apalachee High School shooter has been scrapped. It was moved back because of an issue with Colin Gray’s defense team.
BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - A Barrow County Superior Court judge has granted a delay in the trial of Colin Gray, the father of the teenager accused in the deadly Apalachee High School shooting.
What we know:
Gray was originally set to face trial on Sept. 8, but his defense team submitted a motion on July 21 requesting more time, citing scheduling conflicts due to other cases they are handling in Fulton County. The judge approved the motion Wednesday morning, though a new trial date has not yet been announced.
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The backstory:
Prosecutors claim Gray enabled the tragedy by allowing his son, Colt Gray, to access a firearm later used in the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting that killed two students and two teachers.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation says Gray purchased the weapon and was aware of his son’s fascination with school shootings, including reports that the teen had created a "shrine" to past gunmen. Despite prior concerns raised to authorities, including visits from the FBI and local law enforcement in 2023, no preventative measures were taken.
Gray is facing a total of 24 charges: two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, and twenty counts of second-degree cruelty to children. If found guilty on all counts, he could be sentenced to up to 280 years in prison, plus an additional five years in custody.
What they're saying:
In the motion to continue, Gray’s legal team argued they would not be able to provide adequate representation if forced to proceed with the September date due to overlapping trial obligations elsewhere.
Legal analysts note that Gray’s case reflects a broader movement toward holding parents criminally accountable when minors gain access to unsecured firearms and commit acts of violence.
A trial date has not been set for Colt Gray at this time.
Judge also rules on demurrers
What we know:
The judge has also ruled against the defense's general and special demurrers submitted previously in the case against Colin Gray.
Defense attorneys had argued the indictment was vague and failed to properly allege key legal elements such as proximate cause and foreseeability. They asked the court to dismiss or redraft the charges, which include second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, cruelty to children, and reckless conduct.
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However, the court found the indictment legally sufficient and not subject to a general demurrer. In the judge’s view, allowing a child access to a firearm may not always be negligent, but under the facts alleged, it could be. The judge also dismissed the defense's complaint that the indictment lacked a clear timeline, pointing out that the state explicitly cited the date of the shooting — Sept. 4 — as the date of the offense.
The ruling means the indictment will stand as written. The court has given both sides a week to submit proposed orders summarizing their arguments, after which a final written ruling on the demurrers will be issued.