Updated Oct 17, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Father and son indicted over mass shooting at Georgia school

Rebecca Falconer

Colin Gray, 54, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, 14, enters the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance, on September 6, 2024, in Winder, Georgia. — Colin Gray, 54, the father of Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray, 14, enters the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance, on Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Georgia. Photo: Brynn Anderson-Pool/Getty Images

A father and son were indicted on murder charges Thursday in a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, last month.

The big picture: Accused shooter Colt Gray, 14, was formally charged with 55 counts in connection with the shooting that killed four people and injured nine others, and his father, Colin Gray, was indicted on 29 counts by a grand jury in Barrow County, Georgia.

The teenager faces charges including four counts of malice murder, four counts of felony murder, aggravated assault and cruelty to children over the Sept. 4 shooting some 50 miles northeast of Atlanta.
His 54-year-old father faces charges including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, as well as reckless conduct.

Zoom in: The shooting killed 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo and teachers Christina Irimie and Richard "Ricky" Aspinwall.

Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith told reporters Thursday that the indictment focused on victims "that the crime was actually directed towards, but every person, every kid in that school, was a victim."
It's alleged that Colt Gray planned the attack.

He is being charged as an adult, but he is being held in a juvenile detention center. He faces life in prison if convicted.

What's next: The father and son are due to appear for arraignment at Barrow County Superior Court on Nov. 21, when they're expected to each formally enter a plea.

Go deeper: Prosecutors use existing laws in new ways to hold school shooter parents accountable

Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.

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Father and son indicted over mass shooting at Georgia school

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