Father of Georgia School Shooter Breaks Down Watching Son's Hallway Stalk
The father of a suspected school shooter broke down in tears as he watched surveillance video of his son stalking the hallways of Apalachee High School before the deadly violence began. Colin Gray, 54, is currently on trial for allegedly enabling his 14-year-old son, Colt Gray, to carry out the shooting that killed four people and injured nine others on September 4, 2024.
Emotional Courtroom Moment
On Thursday, Gray covered his eyes and cried as he watched footage showing his son walking through the school while concealing a large AR-15-style rifle behind a white poster board and backpack. The clip revealed the teenager entering the building with the concealed firearm as students and staff walked right beside him, completely unaware of the impending tragedy.
Colt was seen making his way down the hallway before entering a classroom, where he fidgeted in his seat and looked down at his cellphone. He then walked into a bathroom with his backpack, where he texted his mother, Marcee Gray, "I'm sorry mom." Gray immediately called the school about her son, but by then it was too late to prevent the carnage.
The Deadly Attack
Colt allegedly opened fire inside the school, killing two students: Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14, along with two teachers: Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Nine other individuals were left injured in the attack that has shocked the community and reignited national debates about gun safety and school security.
According to Sheriff Jud Smith, resource officers went into the restroom and escorted another student out who had a similar name to Colt, inadvertently leaving the teen free to allegedly carry out the shooting. Afterward, Colt, wearing a white T-shirt, khaki pants and distinctive yellow gloves, appeared to limp as he continued to carry the bag containing the firearm.
Father's Testimony and Charges
Gray took the stand on Friday after prosecutors rested their case, telling the court he gifted Colt the rifle for Christmas in 2023, hoping it would bring them closer together through hunting and trips to the gun range. "I could have done better," he confessed emotionally.
When questioned by his attorney, Brian Hobbs, if he noticed any "red flags" from his son that made him believe he would be capable of such violence, Gray took a moment before stating: "No. I struggle with it every day." He added, "He's a good kid. He wasn't perfect, and nor was I. But to do something that heinous, I don't know of anybody that can ever see that kind of evil."
Gray faces 29 charges, including two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of involuntary manslaughter, 20 counts of cruelty to children and five counts of reckless conduct. If convicted of all charges, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 180 years in prison.
Warning Signs and Missed Opportunities
Prosecutors argued that Gray's decision to purchase the rifle came despite numerous warning signs about Colt's behavior and mental health. More than a year before the shooting, police had interviewed both Colt and Gray about a threat to carry out a school shooting that had been made on a Discord account created with an email associated with the teenager.
The father told investigators that his son had access to firearms in the home as he was teaching Colt about gun safety and hunting, but claimed his access was not "unfettered." He said that if his son did make the threat, he would be "mad as hell" and that "all the guns will go away."
Investigators ultimately closed the case after being unable to substantiate that Colt was connected to the Discord account and did not find grounds to seek the needed court order to confiscate the family's guns, according to police reports.
Teacher's Testimony and School Context
Suzanne Harris, a computer science teacher at the high school, testified that she had noticed the concealed weapon sticking out of Colt's backpack. She said she assumed it was a school project but thought it was odd as he had only been attending for a few days, so she asked him about it.
"I asked him what his project was about, and he didn't really have much to say about the project, but he did tell me that he would show it to me later if I wanted to see it," Harris told the court. She also noted that Colt seemed to be struggling to carry the backpack and appeared nervous when she asked if he needed help.
Colt's family had moved frequently, and by seventh grade, the teen had been enrolled in seven different schools in just four years. He had been attending Apalachee High School for just five days at the time of the shooting.
Legal Proceedings Continue
Colt will be tried as an adult and is facing 55 charges including four counts of felony murder. His trial date has not yet been set, but he is due to appear in court for a hearing on March 18. The prosecutor emphasized that despite Colt's disturbing behavior, which made his parents believe he needed to be institutionalized, they never got the teenager the help he needed and allowed him to keep the rifle.
The emotional courtroom scenes and detailed testimony have highlighted the complex factors leading to the tragedy, including parental responsibility, gun access, mental health awareness, and school security protocols that failed to prevent the deadly attack.
