The trial of Colin Gray got underway on Monday. Gray is the father of Colt Gray who is accused of killing four people and injuring nine others in the September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder. During opening statements, prosecutors said they wanted jurors to consider Gray’s actions, not that of his son.
“This is not a case about holding parents accountable for what their children do,” according to District Attorney Brad Smith. This is a case about this defendant and his actions, in allowing a child that he has custody access to a firearm and ammunition after being warned that that child was going to harm others.”
The defense claimed Gray did not know what his son was planning.
Defense attorney Brain Hobbs:
“The evidence will show that the most important facts, the planning of this shooting the concealment of this shooting, and the timeline of this shooting, were hidden by Colt Gray from his father. That’s the difference between tragedy and criminal liability. You cannot hold someone criminally responsible for failing to predict what was intentionally hidden from them.”
Barrow County Sheriff Jud Smith testified about evacuating students on the day of the shooting.
“We had to walk the kids through the crime scene; a lot of the kids had to see things that I don’t think children of that age should see,” Smith said. “Teachers did not need to see that, but we had to get them out. I wanted to get them out, I wanted to get them out of that building as quickly as possible.”
Colin Gray is facing multiple charges. Counts against Gray include second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and second-degree cruelty to children.
