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A Georgia judge imposed a 15-year prison sentence Thursday on Colin Gray, 55, the father of Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, marking the first time a parent has been convicted of murder in connection with a school shooting. Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm told Gray he “failed as a parent” by disregarding mounting warning signs about his son’s deteriorating mental state before the September 4, 2024, attack.
Gray was found guilty in March on 27 counts, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors demonstrated that he provided his son with the AR-15-style rifle used in the shooting despite accumulating evidence of serious mental health concerns. Judge Primm stated during sentencing that “the warning lights were flashing brighter and brighter” before the tragedy occurred, and that Gray failed to remove his son’s access to firearms or pursue necessary psychiatric care.
The September 4 shooting claimed four lives: teachers Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, along with students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Nine additional people sustained injuries in the attack. Colt Gray has already pleaded guilty to all 55 charges against him and received a life sentence without parole eligibility.
During the hearing, victims’ family members delivered impact statements urging maximum punishment. Shayna Aspinwall, widow of teacher Richard Aspinwall, testified that she struggles with PTSD while raising their two daughters alone, and that her children will grow up without their father’s presence at crucial life milestones. She emphasized that while Colin Gray did not physically commit the violence, his negligence as a parent and gun owner directly enabled the tragedy.
Judge Primm explained that Gray’s crimes reflected criminal negligence stemming from his failure to intervene despite evident danger signs. The judge noted that Gray could have secured the firearms in a locked location, removed ammunition, relocated weapons, or obtained mental health services for his son—steps that would have prevented the conviction entirely. Gray becomes the first parent in Georgia to face criminal charges related to a shooting perpetrated by their child.
Apalachee High School is scheduled to reopen Friday for the new academic year following the tragedy.
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