BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — Opening statements wrapped Monday in the trial of the Apalachee High School shooting suspect’s father.
Colin Gray faces 29 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder.
All the latest developments from court, LIVE on Channel 2 Action News starting at 4:00 p.m.
Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco is in the Barrow County courtroom, where jurors saw the gun investigators say the father bought for his son, Colt Gray. It’s the weapon he’s accused of using in the shooting that killed two students and two teachers Sept. 4, 2024.
The jury also saw what prosecutors called a shrine on Colt Gray’s wall of convicted Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz.
Prosecutors said deputies warned Colin Gray to limit his son’s access to guns when he was accused of threatening to shoot up a school in Jackson County.
The defense said Colin Gray did not know his son was a threat, pointing the finger at the mother, and said the state just wants someone to blame.
“Sometimes, the truth is the person who committed the act was hiding it. Sometimes, the truth is a family can be struggling, a child can be spiraling, and people can people can try to get that child mental health help, and still something unthinkable can happen,” said defense attorney Brian Hobbs.
District Attorney Brad Smith described what Colin Gray said when deputies showed up to his home, the day of the Apalachee shooting.
“He blurts out, ‘I knew it. My little girl just texted me. She’s in middle school. She said we’re in lockdown. I’m like, God almighty please tell me your brother didn’t do something,’” Smith said.
Jurors are hearing from a Barrow County Sheriff’s Office investigator who responded to the school shooting as well Monday.
Students Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and 53-year-old Cristina Irimie were killed in the shooting. Nine others were injured.
Colt Gray was 14 at the time of the shooting.
Colin Gray’s attorneys asked for a change of venue, saying that any jury from Barrow County would be biased due to the nature of the case.
The judge kept the trial in Barrow County but brought in jurors from Hall County. The jurors were selected last week.
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