Apalachee School Shooting: Plea, Sentencing Hearing Set For Accused Gunman

WINDER, GA — A plea and sentencing hearing has been set for Colt Gray, a teenage boy accused of killing two teachers and two students at a Georgia high school when he was age 14.

The now-16-year-old is set to appear in court for a “Non-Negotiated Plea and Sentencing Hearing” on July 24 in connection with a September 2024 deadly mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County.

The Sept. 4 shooting claimed the lives of two 14-year-old students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Nine others were injured, authorities said at the time.

A judge previously said that if Colt Gray wanted to plead guilty ahead of trial, he must notify the state and court by this coming Wednesday.

A non-negotiated plea means that the state and the defense have not reached an agreement on a sentence. Unlike a negotiated plea, or plea deal, where a defendant reaches an agreement with prosecutors to plead guilty in exchange for an agreed upon sentence and possibly reduced charges, this leaves sentencing entirely up to the judge who makes a decision after giving each side a chance to present a summary of the case and a sentencing recommendation.

Colt Gray's attorney did not immediately respond to an email from The Associated Press seeking comment Sunday.

His trial had been set to begin in mid-October in Columbia County, about 100 miles from Barrow, after the judge agreed to a defense request to change the venue.

His father, Colin Gray, was convicted by a jury in March on charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors said he gave his teenage son the assault-style rifle used to open fire at the school. The elder Gray is set to be sentenced later this month.

In the past, news outlets reported Colin Gray gave his son the rifle as a Christmas gift.

Testimony revealed he also bought his son "a tactical vest and ammunition" though he knew Colt Gray allegedly battled anger and anxiety, CNN reported in the past.

Investigators said Colt Gray carefully planned the shooting at the school attended by 1,900 students.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation previously said Colt Gray hid the rifle in his backpack and carried it onto a school bus the morning of the shooting.

According to investigator testimony, the rifle was wrapped in a poster board with the barrel poking out of the backpack, the Associated Press previously reported.

The GBI previously said Colt Gray asked to go to the front office, but he instead went to the restroom and hid from teachers. He later retrieved the rifle and started shooting, the GBI said.

Colt and Colin Gray were interviewed by sheriff's deputies about an online threat linked to Colt Gray in May 2023. Colt Gray denied making the threat at the time. He skipped 8th grade, enrolled as a freshman at Apalachee after the academic year began, and then skipped multiple days of school.

Authorities have not indicated a motive in the fatal shooting.

The Associated Press contributed reporting and writing.

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