Colin Gray, the father of the teenager who carried out the 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison in a landmark case examining whether a parent can be held criminally responsible for a mass shooting committed by a child.

Gray, 55, was sentenced Thursday by Judge Nicholas Primm in Winder, Georgia. He was convicted earlier this year of murder, involuntary manslaughter and other charges stemming from his son’s September 4, 2024, attack, which killed four people and injured seven others.

In announcing the sentence, Primm emphasized that Gray’s conduct was connected to his son’s crimes but distinguished the father’s actions from those of the shooter. The judge noted that Gray did not know his son intended to carry out the attack, did not plan the shooting and did not personally harm or shoot anyone.

Gray had been convicted of providing his son, Colt Gray, with an AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift and leaving firearms unsecured despite warnings and other circumstances indicating that the teenager posed potential risks to others. Prosecutors argued that his conduct amounted to criminal negligence.

Colt Gray was 14 when he opened fire at Apalachee High School on September 4, 2024. Teachers Richard Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie, along with students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, were killed. Seven other people were injured.

Colt, now 16, pleaded guilty to 55 felony counts, including four counts of malice murder. He was sentenced earlier this week to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Colin Gray’s conviction was considered significant because he became the first parent of a school shooter to be convicted of murder in connection with a child’s mass shooting. His case has drawn comparisons with James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of the teenager responsible for the 2021 Oxford High School shooting in Michigan. Both were convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison.

The prosecution had sought an 80-year sentence for Gray. Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith argued that Gray’s actions contributed to the deaths of four people, the injuries to seven others and the lasting trauma experienced by the wider community.

Gray’s defense attorney, Brian Hobbs, had requested a 20-year sentence, with half served in prison and the remainder on probation. Hobbs said Gray accepted that the jury had found his conduct criminal but argued that his actions did not amount to indifference toward his son’s behavior.

Gray declined to make a statement before sentencing. He was wearing a striped prison uniform when the sentence was imposed and was later escorted from the courtroom in shackles. His attorney said the defense plans to appeal the conviction.

Several victims’ relatives and survivors spoke during the sentencing hearing and criticized Gray for failing to take stronger action despite warning signs involving his son. Some family members said they believed the 15-year sentence did not adequately reflect the consequences of the shooting.

During Gray’s trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Colt had experienced mental health difficulties and that people close to him had expressed concerns about his behavior. His estranged wife, Marcee Gray, testified that their son suffered from anxiety, agitation and panic attacks and that she believed he needed professional treatment.

The court also heard that law enforcement had visited the Gray family home in May 2023 after receiving an FBI tip about an online threat to carry out a school shooting. Investigators were unable to substantiate the threat at the time, and Colt denied making it.

Later that year, Colin Gray purchased the AR-15-style rifle for his son. Evidence presented at trial showed that several firearms and ammunition were stored unsecured in a bedroom closet. Gray acknowledged during testimony that Colt sometimes kept the rifle in his bedroom.

Prosecutors also presented evidence that Gray knew his son had previously displayed violent behavior and had a photograph of a school shooter on his bedroom wall. In one text message sent weeks before the attack, Colt reportedly warned his father that if something happened, “the blood” would be on his hands.

The defense argued that Gray did not know his son was planning a mass shooting and had attempted to arrange counseling for him. Gray testified that he never believed Colt was capable of carrying out such an attack and described him as a troubled but otherwise good child.

The jury ultimately convicted Gray on all 27 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, 18 counts of second-degree cruelty to children and five counts of reckless conduct.

The case has become a closely watched test of parental responsibility in mass-shooting cases. Gray’s conviction and sentence could also have implications for future prosecutions involving parents accused of failing to secure firearms or respond adequately to warning signs concerning their children.

SOURCE: CNN, Eric Levenson, Isabel Rosales and Devon M. Sayers, updated July 31, 2026.