Teen Pleads Guilty in Apalachee High School Shooting Case

On Friday morning, Colt Gray, a teenager charged in the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia, pleaded guilty to all 55 charges against him. Gray entered a “non-negotiated” plea, admitting guilt without a deal between his attorneys and the prosecution. He faces charges including malice murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated assault. The penalties could result in up to 180 years in prison, with up to 30 years for second-degree murder charges.

The plea hearing comes after Gray’s defense indicated attempts to negotiate a plea deal. Judge Nicholas Primm had set a deadline for a possible agreement, and the hearing might last into the next week if required. Due to extensive media coverage, Primm moved Gray’s trial to Columbia County to ensure impartiality among jurors.

The case also involves Gray’s father, Colin Gray, who was convicted of 27 counts related to the shooting. He is the first parent charged in Georgia connected to a mass school shooting and the third such case nationally. Prosecutors assert that Colin Gray gave his son the gun used in the shooting, despite indicators of Colt’s deteriorating mental health. Evidence presented included a “shrine” Colt Gray constructed to Nikolas Cruz, perpetrator of the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Florida.

Colin Gray admitted to gifting the rifle to Colt, hoping to bond through hunting and shooting practice. His sentencing is set for July 30. On September 4, 2024, Colt Gray, then 14, reportedly brought a semiautomatic assault-style rifle concealed in a book bag onto a school bus. After leaving his classroom, he emerged from a bathroom and opened fire in the school.

Investigators found notebooks detailing Colt Gray’s plans for the attack, including instructions to “shoot the teacher first.” The victims included two students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and two teachers, Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie. A memorial was erected outside the school to honor them. A teacher and eight students were also wounded. Colt Gray surrendered to officers at the scene and has remained in custody since.

This report is contributed by Jared Eggleston and Cara Tabachnick.