Colin Gray trial: State rests, Colin Gray to testify on Friday

Name: Colin Gray to speak in school shooting trial
Uploaded: 2026-02-26T07:50:18-05:00
Description: Prosecutors wrapped up their case on Thursday in the trial of Colin Gray. Gray is the father of accused Apalachee school shooter Colt Gray. Colin will take the stand on Friday.

Colin Gray to speak in school shooting trial

Prosecutors wrapped up their case on Thursday in the trial of Colin Gray. Gray is the father of accused Apalachee school shooter Colt Gray. Colin will take the stand on Friday.

BARROW COUNTY, Ga. - The trial of Colin Gray resumed on Thursday in Barrow County, with prosecutors presenting their final witnesses and showing the video of what happened on the day of the mass shooting at Apalachee High School to the jury and courtroom.

The "Paper Trail" of the Weapon

What they're saying:

Before the video was shown, a forensic investigator from the Barrow County District Attorney’s Office took the stand, presenting a detailed look at the family’s financial history. The most significant evidence presented to the jury included:

Bank Records: Prosecutors displayed receipts and transaction logs that they claim show Colin Gray purchasing the rifle used in the attack. Additionally, Gray purchased ammunition and tactical accessories such as laser sights and tactical rail systems for his son's rifle.

Price Consistency: The investigator testified that a purchase totaling between $350 and $559 was consistent with the market price of the rifle in question.

The Conflict of Intent: The prosecution argued that these records prove Gray finalized the purchase at a time when he was already explicitly concerned about his son’s "mental acuity" and stability.

Colin Gray jury gets a look at financial records

Following yesterday’s testimony regarding the troubled home life of the Gray family, today’s proceedings shifted toward a forensic analysis of communication and bank records.

The jury also saw text messages that indicated that Colin Gray was alarmed by his son, including one sent to his daughter that read: "I can't tell what he's saying, but I can tell it's not good."

Additionally, the jury was told Gray asked Google "where to take my troubled teen near Athens, Georgia" and "Where do I take my son for anxiety near Winder, Georgia."

Despite these concerns, the evidence indicates Gray continued to purchase gun-related items for his son.

Shooting video shown in court

Jurors were also shown surveillance footage of the moments leading up to the shooting and the shooting itself. The video followed the accused shooter, Colt Gray, from the first to the second period, carrying a large item, presumably the rifle used in the shooting, in his backpack with a white poster board.

The video also showed shots being fired into a classroom, where bullets hit 7 students, and then in a hallway where three teachers were shot. The shooter then encounters another student – Mason Schermerhorn – in a hallway. Mason tries to run away, but is shot and killed.

Additionally, the court saw when school resource officers mistakenly pulled Kolten Gray out of the restroom while looking for Colt. Once the video of the shooting itself was shown, Colin began crying as he watched.

The state rested its case shortly after the footage was shown. The defense is expected to call Colin to testify when the court resumes on Friday morning. He will be their only witness, according to his defense team.

Closing arguments could begin on Monday.

Dig deeper:

The case centers on whether Gray, the father of the accused gunman, bears criminal responsibility for allegedly giving his son, Colt Gray, the semiautomatic rifle investigators say was used in the attack that killed two teachers and two students and injured nine others. Prosecutors have argued the teen had "really free access" to guns in the home, despite family concerns and requests that firearms be secured.

Jurors have already watched portions of a recorded law enforcement interview with Colin Gray conducted in the days after the shooting, testimony the state says is key to its case. Investigators have pointed to what they describe as inconsistencies in Gray’s statements about where the firearms were kept and how they were stored, while testimony has also focused on warning signs leading up to the shooting, including family accounts of the teen’s mental health struggles.

The trial started with two days of emotional testimony from the young survivors of the shooting.

Jurors also heard testimony from the mother of Colt Gray, Marcee Gray, and his sister, in addition to multiple investigators, counselors, and school administrators.

Colin Gray is facing a maximum of 180 years in prison if convicted of the 29 felony counts he is charged with.

Both Colin and Colt Gray have pleaded not guilty. No trial date has been set for Colt Gray at this time because the court is waiting on the results of a mental health evaluation.

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