A judge has set a plea and sentencing hearing for later this month for Colt Gray, 16, who is accused of killing four people in a September 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia. The hearing is scheduled to begin July 24.
Gray had previously pleaded not guilty to charges including murder for the shooting that killed two students and two teachers and left several others wounded at the high school northeast of Atlanta. He faces 55 total counts including murder, cruelty to children and 25 counts of aggravated assault, and was charged as an adult.
The judge overseeing his case set what is known as a "Non-Negotiated Plea and Sentencing Hearing." In this type of proceeding, the state and defense have not reached an agreement on a sentence. Unlike a negotiated plea deal where both sides agree to specific terms, sentencing in a non-negotiated plea is determined entirely by the judge after hearing summaries from each side.
Gray's trial had been set to begin in mid-October in Columbia County, about 100 miles from Barrow County where the shooting occurred, after the defense requested a change of venue. His attorney did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The Sept. 4, 2024 shooting killed teachers Richard "Ricky" Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, along with students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Another teacher and eight additional students were wounded, seven of them hit by gunfire.
Investigators testified that Gray carried the rifle provided by his father onto a school bus with the barrel wrapped in poster board. They said he left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the weapon before shooting people in a classroom and hallway.
What the Right Is Saying
Second Amendment advocates and some Republican lawmakers have expressed concern that focusing solely on gun access oversimplifies complex issues involving mental health and parental responsibility. They argue for increased investment in school safety measures and mental health resources rather than additional firearms regulations.
The National Rifle Association has not issued a specific statement on this case but has consistently opposed legislation that would criminalize lawful gun ownership by parents. Some conservative commentators have noted that Colin Gray's conviction already represents accountability under existing law, arguing against what they describe as efforts to expand criminal liability for legal firearm purchasers.
What the Left Is Saying
Gun safety advocates and some Democratic lawmakers have used cases like this one to call for stricter gun storage laws and increased accountability for parents who provide weapons to minors. The conviction of Gray's father, Colin Gray, on second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter charges was cited by prosecutors as a precedent for holding adults responsible when children access firearms.
Organizations including Moms Demand Action have pointed to the case as evidence that current penalties are insufficient deterrents. "When parents fail to secure their weapons and those guns end up in the hands of children who commit atrocities, there must be serious consequences," the group said in a statement following Colin Gray's conviction. Some Democratic legislators have proposed federal legislation requiring safe storage standards.
What the Numbers Show
Colt Gray was 14 years old at the time of the September 2024 shooting. He has been charged as an adult with 55 total counts across multiple charges including murder, cruelty to children and 25 counts of aggravated assault. His father Colin Gray was convicted by a jury in March on charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors said he provided the assault-style rifle used in the attack.
According to testimony from investigators, Gray left a notebook in his classroom containing step-by-step instructions and diagrams for carrying out the shooting, including an estimate that he could kill as many as 26 people and wound up to 13 others. Family members had sought psychological help for Colt Gray before the shooting, but records indicate he never saw a counselor.
The shooting occurred at Apalachee High School, which serves approximately 1,900 students. It resulted in four deaths and injuries to nine other individuals including one teacher and eight students, seven of whom were struck by gunfire.
The Bottom Line
Colt Gray's scheduled plea hearing represents the latest development in a case that has drawn national attention to school safety, juvenile justice and parental responsibility for children's access to firearms. The non-negotiated plea structure means that regardless of whether Gray admits guilt, sentencing will be determined entirely by the judge without any agreed-upon terms between prosecution and defense.
Gray's father Colin Gray is also scheduled to be sentenced later this month following his March conviction. Both cases highlight ongoing debates about how best to prevent school shootings through a combination of gun safety measures, mental health intervention and security protocols. What happens at the July 24 hearing will determine whether Gray proceeds with an admission of guilt before sentencing or maintains his not guilty plea ahead of the previously scheduled October trial.