Trial of Colin Gray’s Father Opens with Student Testimony in Georgia Shooting
Updated (2 articles)
Opening Statements and Emotional Student Accounts Set Tone The trial of Colin Gray, father of the Apalachee High School shooter, commenced on Monday, Feb. 17, 2026, featuring opening statements from both prosecution and defense. Wounded students, teachers, police officers and parents took the stand, describing the September 2024 attack that killed two students and two teachers and injured nine others. Survivors such as 15‑year‑old Melany Delira‑Castaneda recounted being shot, hiding, and now coping with lasting trauma and anxiety. The defense chose not to cross‑examine the student witnesses, allowing their accounts to remain unchallenged. [1]
Prosecutors Accuse Colin Gray of Supplying AR‑15 Despite Warnings Prosecutors allege that Colin Gray purchased the AR‑15‑style rifle used by his 14‑year‑old son and ignored prior warnings that the boy posed a danger. The indictment lists nearly 30 counts, including two second‑degree murder charges (each carrying 10‑30 years) and two involuntary manslaughter charges (each carrying 1‑10 years). Gray entered a not‑guilty plea to all counts, maintaining his innocence while facing a potential decades‑long sentence if convicted. The case underscores a legal strategy to hold parents accountable for firearms access in school shootings. [1]
Colt Gray’s Surrender and Pending Trial Highlight Ongoing Legal Process Colt Gray, the 16‑year‑old shooter, surrendered to police shortly after the September 2024 incident and admitted responsibility for the attack. He has pleaded not guilty to 55 felony counts, including four malice‑murder charges, with a separate trial date yet to be set. The father’s trial proceeds independently, reflecting a broader national push to prosecute both parents and law‑enforcement officers linked to school shootings, following earlier Crumbley cases in Michigan. [1]
Timeline
2022 – A teen opens fire in Raleigh, North Carolina, killing five people and wounding several others after beginning the attack at his family home and continuing onto a nearby greenway trail; investigators later seize 11 firearms and 160 boxes of ammunition from the residence[2].
2022 – The criminal trials of James and Jennifer Crumbley in Michigan conclude, establishing a precedent for holding parents criminally liable for their children’s school shootings and fueling a national push for similar prosecutions[1].
September 2024 – A 14‑year‑old student, Colt Gray, uses an AR‑15‑style rifle to shoot at Apalachee High School in Georgia, killing two students and two teachers and injuring nine others; his father, Colin Gray, purchases the weapon despite prior warnings about his son’s danger[1].
Jan 22, 2026 – Austin Thompson, now 18, pleads guilty to five counts of first‑degree murder and related charges for the 2022 Raleigh rampage; a sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb 2, and he receives no plea agreement, while his father later pleads guilty to illegal handgun storage and receives probation[2].
Feb 2, 2026 – A sentencing hearing for Austin Thompson is set to determine his punishment for the 2022 Raleigh mass shooting, with prosecutors and victims’ families preparing for a potential life‑without‑parole sentence[2].
Feb 17, 2026 – The trial of Colin Gray, father of the Apalachee High School shooter, opens with opening statements and emotional testimony from wounded students, teachers, police and parents; Gray faces nearly 30 charges—including two counts of second‑degree murder and two of involuntary manslaughter—and enters a not‑guilty plea, while his son Colt has already pleaded not guilty to 55 felony counts and awaits trial[1].