Father who gifted son rifle used in Georgia high school shooting sentenced to 15 years

[mystery-ak]

Father who gifted son rifle used in Georgia high school shooting sentenced to 15 years

In March, a jury convicted Colin Gray on multiple charges, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, stemming from his decision to give his son, Colt Gray, a rifle for Christmas.
By Kevin Killough

Published: July 30, 2026 2:25pm

Colin Gray, who gave his 14-year-old son a rifle as a Christmas gift that was later used in a high school shooting, was sentenced on Thursday to 15 years in prison.

In March, a jury convicted Gray on multiple charges, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, stemming from his decision to give his son, Colt Gray, a rifle for Christmas. Colt Gray used the gun in a mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia in 2024.

Judge Nicholas Primm said that Colin Gray's failure to act against the crimes committed by his son factored into the sentencing decision. A few months before Gray gave his son the weapon, law enforcement had come to their home because the son had threatened to shoot up an elementary school, prosecutors allege, NBC News reported.

Primm also criticized the elder Gray for failing to get his son counseling and remove guns from the house.

Colt Gray was sentenced on Tuesday to life without parole.

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https://justthenews.com/nation/crime/father-who-gifted-son-rifle-used-georgia-high-school-shooting-sentenced-15-years

[Timber Rattler]

I don't see how this can stand.

[berdie]

I don't see how this can stand.

I sure hope not. It was the son that went rogue...not the gun.

[libertybele]

I sure hope not. It was the son that went rogue...not the gun.

]

Completely agree with you.  It's not the gun that committed the crime. 

[Cyber Liberty]

I'm a bit torn on this story.  Giving a 14 year old kid a gun seems a lot like giving a kid a fifth of Whiskey and the keys to the car....

[mountaineer]

I'm a bit torn on this story.  Giving a 14 year old kid a gun seems a lot like giving a kid a fifth of Whiskey and the keys to the car....

Certainly reckless, given the earlier threat to shoot up an elementary school.

[the OlLine Rebel]

I really don’t like this new trend, often fully supported by public vocal “conservative”, of punishing the parents.

This is very prevalent here near Baltimore.  For common crime, much less mass murder.

The sins of the father shall not follow the son…and vice versa.

I understand details can make it dependent, but unless they willfully enabled the offspring, generally there should not be punishment.

And I realize many are happy to visit punishment upon “urban” “parents”, but again, unless there is gross negligence or egging it on (and yes, we DID have a disgusting case of exactly that in Baltimore the other year), I just can’t see punishing people for things they didn’t do.

[roamer_1]

I'm a bit torn on this story.  Giving a 14 year old kid a gun seems a lot like giving a kid a fifth of Whiskey and the keys to the car....

Nah.. There probably ain't a single boy west of the mississippi that doesn't have a gun or two by the age of 14. I was hunting possums, coons, coyotes and wild dogs, and feral cats at that age,and had probably bagged a couple deer by then. My first elk was before I had a proper drivers license too, IIRC, though maybe shortly after.

There are TONS of young men that have guns and don't do nothing like this.

[roamer_1]

I really don’t like this new trend, often fully supported by public vocal “conservative”, of punishing the parents.

This is very prevalent here near Baltimore.  For common crime, much less mass murder.

The sins of the father shall not follow the son…and vice versa.

I understand details can make it dependent, but unless they willfully enabled the offspring, generally there should not be punishment.

And I realize many are happy to visit punishment upon “urban” “parents”, but again, unless there is gross negligence or egging it on (and yes, we DID have a disgusting case of exactly that in Baltimore the other year), I just can’t see punishing people for things they didn’t do.

That's right. 

[Right_in_Virginia]

FTA:

A few months before Gray gave his son the weapon, law enforcement had come to their home because the son had threatened to shoot up an elementary school, prosecutors allege, NBC News reported.

In March, a jury convicted Colin Gray on multiple charges, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter ...

They slammed dad on the recklessness of giving a weapon to his son ....

°. Involuntary manslaughter is the unlawful and unintentional killing of another person, typically resulting from criminal negligence, recklessness.

°. Second-degree murder is an unlawful killing committed with malice or extreme recklessness, but without prior planning or premeditation.

[Right_in_Virginia]

There probably ain't a single boy west of the mississippi that doesn't have a gun or two by the age of 14. I was hunting possums, coons, coyotes and wild dogs, and feral cats at that age,and had probably bagged a couple deer by then.

Did the police stop by to warn your dad about your threat to shoot up school before your first gun was bestowed?

[roamer_1]

Did the police stop by to warn your dad about your threat to shoot up school before your first gun was bestowed?

Nope. But I certainly made threats, as young men do.

I would suppose his father thought he was just braggin himself up... Talking smack... Else one would imagine he would have taken steps.

My old man sure would have if he thought for a second that I was serious.

EVEN if he egged him on, the premise should remain the same - The evil doer is the one who did the doing.

The way his old man could face charges is ONLY if it is proven that his son was acting as his agent, by some influence, coercion, or employment. In that case, then I think the liability could be transferred, at least in part.

But gifting a gun, or even facilitating a gun in the face of some threat the kid made is not any culpability of the father. He probably didn't even think twice about it.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Nope. But I certainly made threats, as young men do.

You made threats as a 14 year old 50 years ago. 

Times change, even if you rage against it.  ☮️

[roamer_1]

You made threats as a 14 year old 50 years ago. 

Times change, even if you rage against it.  ☮️

Times surely do... But principle things do not.

[Sighlass]

From what I read the mother was about as messed up (if not more)... kid pushed her into a wall once and she did little except get high.

Should the father of been more astute ... Yeah... but I think if applied fairly, half the black fathers would be in jail if measured with the same stick.

[verga]

Bartenders can be criminally charged for overserving patrons. The father had a legitimate warning from the police. He may not have pulled the trigger, but he helped to light the fuse on the bomb.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Bartenders can be criminally charged for overserving patrons. The father had a legitimate warning from the police. He may not have pulled the trigger, but he helped to light the fuse on the bomb.

Parents are accountable for their kids until they are no longer minors.

When society goes back to enforcing this, we will have a better society.

[roamer_1]

Parents are accountable for their kids until they are no longer minors.

When society goes back to enforcing this, we will have a better society.

Monetarily perhaps, but not criminally. Even in the wild west, we lynched the guy that stole the horse - Not his dad. 

And besides, parents have far less influence over their children than the liberal school system does - A school system bound and determined to turn kids against their parents mores and ways.

If the school's influence was held criminally culpable too, maybe then I would relent.

[roamer_1]

I wonder how y'all would be posting if they made the firearm manufacturer or the retailer liable for the kid's action... Because it would be the very same thing.

[Bigun]

I'm a bit torn on this story.  Giving a 14 year old kid a gun seems a lot like giving a kid a fifth of Whiskey and the keys to the car....

I was given my first rifle 70 years ago come this come this Christmas and I grew up in the woods around my home in Texas.

My own sons were living in a foreign land at that age and didn't get theirs until later but I'm sure they both had them by age 14. The youngest of them is now in his 50s.

[mountaineer]

A parent probably should be able to discern that his son has emotional issues that might make gun ownership a problem.

Emotionally well-balanced boys and girls are quite another matter. I'm all for kids learning the safe and proper use of firearms.

[Wingnut]

Back in my day parents let thier kids play with guns, knives and fireworks.  You know what happened to the dumb kids?  They didn't make it.  Kids today, like this guys moron son, grew up in safety bubble and child proofed and padded. All the dumb ones lived.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Monetarily perhaps, but not criminally. Even in the wild west, we lynched the guy that stole the horse - Not his dad. 

And besides, parents have far less influence over their children than the liberal school system does - A school system bound and determined to turn kids against their parents mores and ways.

If the school's influence was held criminally culpable too, maybe then I would relent.

And that is why home schooling is so pervasive.  Not only do you remove the public teaching your kids, but you also keep a lot more eyes on them.

BTW, you would lynch a 10 year old who stole a horse?

[roamer_1]

And that is why home schooling is so pervasive.  Not only do you remove the public teaching your kids, but you also keep a lot more eyes on them.

BTW, you would lynch a 10 year old who stole a horse?

Nah. I'd whoop his ass good. Then I'd send him off to his father, who would whoop it again, along with his grandfather, who would likely do the same. He'd damnwell know not to steal another. That's how a boy is raised up right. The ass-whoopin stands in the stead of the capital offense as a mercy.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Times surely do... But principle things do not.

What principle is in play when a dad ---- after receiving a visit from law enforcement with an eye-to-eye warning that his son may shoot up a school ---- goes and puts the weapon in his son's hands?

[Right_in_Virginia]

Bartenders can be criminally charged for overserving patrons. The father had a legitimate warning from the police. He may not have pulled the trigger, but he helped to light the fuse on the bomb.

And, as the father was warned about, his son shot 13 people, killing four, using his dad's Christmas present ----

Winder, Georgia —  Colt Gray, the Georgia teen who fatally shot two teachers and two students and wounded nine others at Apalachee High School in September 2024 ...

[roamer_1]

What principle is in play when a dad ---- after receiving a visit from law enforcement with an eye-to-eye warning that his son may want to shoot up a school ---- goes and puts the weapon in his son's hands?

Oh the drama!

He didn't 'put the gun in his son's hands'. He bought the kid a gun. This is SUPER TYPICAL in rural areas. Every boy I knew had at least a .22 around that age. It is a rite of passage.

As for the cops, I was hauled home more than once by the cops, and put down in front of my old man. It likely got me an ass-whoopin, sure... But all the bullshit the cops told him, didn't stick at all. He only asked if I started the fight (which I seldom did), whether myself or another was being defended (nearly always the case), and if I kicked his ass.

Thank God he didn't pick up all the psycobabble bullshit the cops were putting down. Might be something like that in this case too. It is unfortunate that the cops were right - But considering all the bullshit they spout in such cases, I can see why the old man paid it no mind. Especially if it was one of a few or several occurrences.

Like I said, unless the kid was operating as an agent of his old man, he is no more at fault for supplying the gun than a retailer or manufacturer would be.

I thoroughly expect the upper courts to overturn this conviction. As they ought to.

[Smokin Joe]

I'm a bit torn on this story.  Giving a 14 year old kid a gun seems a lot like giving a kid a fifth of Whiskey and the keys to the car....

Depends on the kid. By 14, I'd been hunting deer and ducks for 5 years.

[Sighlass]

I'm a bit torn on this story.  Giving a 14 year old kid a gun seems a lot like giving a kid a fifth of Whiskey and the keys to the car....

Part of a fathers job is to ascertain if your kid is mature enough to be trusted with a gun. In no way did this kid (IMHO) prove anything except he was a dysfunctional kid perhaps partly due to being in a dysfunctional family. 

My kids had guns by this age (or close to it), but they were for the most part well rounded boys. They knew trust was earned and not easily given (and quick to be taken away).

Part of a Christians father's duty is to judge rightly... This father didn't.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Oh the drama!

He didn't 'put the gun in his son's hands'. He bought the kid a gun. This is SUPER TYPICAL in rural areas. Every boy I knew had at least a .22 around that age. It is a rite of passage.

As for the cops, I was hauled home more than once by the cops, and put down in front of my old man. It likely got me an ass-whoopin, sure... But all the bullshit the cops told him, didn't stick at all. He only asked if I started the fight (which I seldom did), whether myself or another was being defended (nearly always the case), and if I kicked his ass.

Thank God he didn't pick up all the psycobabble bullshit the cops were putting down. Might be something like that in this case too. It is unfortunate that the cops were right - But considering all the bullshit they spout in such cases, I can see why the old man paid it no mind. Especially if it was one of a few or several occurrences.

Like I said, unless the kid was operating as an agent of his old man, he is no more at fault for supplying the gun than a retailer or manufacturer would be.

I thoroughly expect the upper courts to overturn this conviction. As they ought to.

A father ignoring the warning from law enforcement and putting a weapon in his son's hands is second degree murder:  depraved indifference to human life.  This is what dad was nailed on --- and it carries a sentence of 15 years to life   Dad's sentence is 15 years.

No passages, no yeehaw butt slapping, no drama ----  this is simply what happens under the law when you knowingly make possible the killing of four souls and the wounding of nine more.

Depraved indifference to human life (2nd degree murder):  Acting with extreme recklessness that creates a grave risk of death, showing a complete and wanton disregard for the value of human life without a specific intent to kill.

[roamer_1]

A father ignoring the warning from law enforcement and putting a weapon in his son's hands is second degree murder:  depraved indifference to human life.  This is what dad was nailed on --- and it carries a sentence of 15 years to life   Dad's sentence is 15 years.

I don't see where it was proven that he ignored anything... Or that the threats he had before the fact amounted to a row of pins.

No passages, no yeehaw butt slapping, no drama ----  this is simply what happens under the law when you knowingly make possible the killing of four souls and the wounding of nine more.

Depraved indifference to human life (2nd degree murder):  Acting with extreme recklessness that creates a grave risk of death, showing a complete and wanton disregard for the value of human life without a specific intent to kill.

That would require intent. Active encouragement would make the child the agent of the father.  That does not seem to be the case. And why it will not stand on appeal.

And it is not extreme recklessness to buy a kid a gun, as is proven over and over on this page. Hell, I wish I had a dollar for every Karen like you that said such things about me. I would be able to have a fine dinner off of that.

[verga]

Monetarily perhaps, but not criminally. Even in the wild west, we lynched the guy that stole the horse - Not his dad. 

And besides, parents have far less influence over their children than the liberal school system does - A school system bound and determined to turn kids against their parents mores and ways.

If the school's influence was held criminally culpable too, maybe then I would relent.

@roamer_1  The school did not give the kid the boom stick the parents did. I see my students for 90 minutes /5 days a week /90 days. That totals 675 hours out of 8760 hours for the year. If the parents time with their kids is one second less than the time I spend with them that is their own choice and is 100% on them. My parents made the conscious decision to spend time with us, go to school athletic events, travel with us, and wait for it .... Take us to Church. They modeled appropriate behaviour for us, taught us right from wrong. About half of my students come from broken homes, every one of the foster kids Vergette and I had over the years came from a broken home. In the African American Community the illegitimacy rate is over 75%.
Stop blaming the schools for every D@MN thing that is wrong with society. If you truly in your heart of hearts believe it is the schools fault then i will tell you what I tell the homescrewling mafia: Do something about it. I am retiring in 180 school days, get a teaching degree and take my place. Or get on the school board, like my father did when there was something going on that he did not like and make some changes. If you can't do either of those go to school board meetings and let your voice be heard. Decisions and change is made by those that show up

[roamer_1]

@roamer_1  The school did not give the kid the boom stick the parents did. I see my students for 90 minutes /5 days a week /90 days. That totals 675 hours out of 8760 hours for the year. If the parents time with their kids is one second less than the time I spend with them that is their own choice and is 100% on them.

You're kidding, right @verga ? It's not !YOU!, but the aggregate of you x 7 periods - Nearly eight hours of any given work week including bus time... On those same days, there are what, maybe another 4 hrs available before bedtime activities? Take another hour out of that for dinner, and add an hour or so around breakfast... Any way you look at it, your system has those kids twice as long as the home system does with only two days on the weekend to balance that time out.

Two days where the parents are absolutely crapped out from a very long work week, and still have to stuff church activities in there somewhere, and mow the yard, and fix whatever busted over the last week... Pick up the dog poop and shovel snow, and rake leaves...

And all that ain't including all the after school activities either. Or that the old man is probably pulling twelve hours or more all the time, just to make ends meet.

So for 3/4 of the year, for twice the time, the school is influencing that kid more than I am.

Face it - The schools are raising our kids, not us. And their indoctrination in those schools is largely opposed to what they are taught at home.

As to the rest of your screed, I stand firmly with homeschoolers. I paid through the nose to put 4 kids through Christian school, figuring it would be better than public school, which, no doubt it was - but if I had it to do again, I would opt 100% for home schooling. Not even a close second.

And we have always been extremely active in our kid's education, albeit that most of that fell on my wife, as I was pulling 60 hrs a week at any given time, if not more. But I always received detailed information about how things were doing.

So in a word, I reject your belligerence, whole cloth.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Nah. I'd whoop his ass good. Then I'd send him off to his father, who would whoop it again, along with his grandfather, who would likely do the same. He'd damnwell know not to steal another. That's how a boy is raised up right. The ass-whoopin stands in the stead of the capital offense as a mercy.

You are assuming he has parents that give a damn. 

So what do you do if there is no father or he refuses to whoop his ass?

Leave him alone to kill or steal once again?

Would a second time killing or stealing be enough to punish the parent?

You are missing out that the punishment of the parent who allowed or encouraged the crime is what we need in today's society as a deterrent to being a bad parent.

[roamer_1]

You are assuming he has parents that give a damn. 

So what do you do if there is no father or he refuses to whoop his ass?

Leave him alone to kill or steal once again?

Would a second time killing or stealing be enough to punish the parent?

You are missing out that the punishment of the parent who allowed or encouraged the crime is what we need in today's society as a deterrent to being a bad parent.

No. The protections provided to the child assume parental cooperation, but are offered as a mercy (as I said).

The second time, no doubt, the mercy would be rescinded and the kid would hang.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

No. The protections provided to the child assume parental cooperation, but are offered as a mercy (as I said).

The second time, no doubt, the mercy would be rescinded and the kid would hang.

I see no accountability in that remark toward parenting that is so bad that no deterrent is given the youth.

There must be accountability in some form on that parent.

[the OlLine Rebel]

You're kidding, right @verga ? It's not !YOU!, but the aggregate of you x 7 periods - Nearly eight hours of any given work week including bus time... On those same days, there are what, maybe another 4 hrs available before bedtime activities? Take another hour out of that for dinner, and add an hour or so around breakfast... Any way you look at it, your system has those kids twice as long as the home system does with only two days on the weekend to balance that time out.

Two days where the parents are absolutely crapped out from a very long work week, and still have to stuff church activities in there somewhere, and mow the yard, and fix whatever busted over the last week... Pick up the dog poop and shovel snow, and rake leaves...

And all that ain't including all the after school activities either. Or that the old man is probably pulling twelve hours or more all the time, just to make ends meet.

So for 3/4 of the year, for twice the time, the school is influencing that kid more than I am.

Face it - The schools are raising our kids, not us. And their indoctrination in those schools is largely opposed to what they are taught at home.

As to the rest of your screed, I stand firmly with homeschoolers. I paid through the nose to put 4 kids through Christian school, figuring it would be better than public school, which, no doubt it was - but if I had it to do again, I would opt 100% for home schooling. Not even a close second.

And we have always been extremely active in our kid's education, albeit that most of that fell on my wife, as I was pulling 60 hrs a week at any given time, if not more. But I always received detailed information about how things were doing.

So in a word, I reject your belligerence, whole cloth.

If I may interject…you are really trying to subtract time for parenting there.

You cannot subtract “time for church” and “dinner” etc as time taken AWAY.  Those are PART of the family and parenting aspect.  E.g., dinner should be a time to converse and interact.  Church (if you do that) shows some kind of behavior and expectation.  Those are not examples to be subtracted.  If anything, maybe, bathing time!

[roamer_1]

I see no accountability in that remark toward parenting that is so bad that no deterrent is given the youth.

There must be accountability in some form on that parent.

Historically, that is not ever done. If parental ineptitude or recalcitrance amounts to abuse, the child is taken away and the parent is charged with abuse. If it were pursued under that aegis, I would not object. But this 2nd degree murder charge is not going to stand.

The immediate solution is to charge the child as an adult and put the death penalty on the table - Mercy rescinded. And considering the acts committed by the child, I am all for that.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Historically, that is not ever done. If parental ineptitude or recalcitrance amounts to abuse, the child is taken away and the parent is charged with abuse. If it were pursued under that aegis, I would not object. But this 2nd degree murder charge is not going to stand.

The immediate solution is to charge the child as an adult and put the death penalty on the table - Mercy rescinded. And considering the acts committed by the child, I am all for that.

At a minimum, parental rights should be taken away.

To bring a child into this world is a responsibility.  Society demands it as, by definition, a minor is incapable of making mature decisions.  Those decisions are made by the parent.  Failure to teach that is a crime in itself.

[roamer_1]

At a minimum, parental rights should be taken away.

We are reasonably agreed on that - Providing the charge can be sustained against both parents.

To bring a child into this world is a responsibility.  Society demands it as, by definition, a minor is incapable of making mature decisions.  Those decisions are made by the parent.  Failure to teach that is a crime in itself.

While I agree with the sentiment,I balk at laying the blame wholly on the parents, when there is evidence abounding that society itself is at odds with proper parenting - This in itself, being evidence thereof.

Before I condemn the parents, I would first like to know the societal pressures outside the home that the kid was listening to, and succumbing to... What his school was teaching him. What he was learning on the internet. What his friends and associations were. And how much of that was known by his folks.

A teen in full rebellion against his parents is playing a tune of his own - and often parents, even good ones, don't have a clue how to fix it. 

My folks surely couldn't fix me, though all I did was drunken brawling, fast cars, and loose women... Societal rebellion of my own, unacceptable I suppose, but mild by comparison, though it took a decade to straighten out of me... But I paid those dues, not my old man. I paid every inch of it. And had I not, I would not have straightened out.

Should my old man have done my time? Should he have spent all those weekends at the county jail instead of me?

I think not. I did it, not him. This is exactly the same thing, if removed from all the drama.