A father whose son allegedly used a gun he gave him in a school shooting has been found guilty of murder.
Colin Gray, 55, who prosecutors said bought his son, Colt Gray, an AR-15 semi-automatic assault rifle as a Christmas present, was found guilty of 29 offences, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children.
It is the third time a parent has been charged over a mass shooting allegedly carried out by their child, and the first case of its kind in Georgia. He told the Barrow County Court: “I could have done better.”
Gray, who could be jailed for up to 180 years, was said to have ignored apparent warning signs regarding his son’s mental state.
He allowed him access to the weapon, even after Colt allegedly built a “shrine” to Florida school gunman Nikolas Cruz, prosecutors said.
On Sept 4, 2024, Colt, now 16, allegedly killed two pupils and two teachers, and wounded seven others at Apalachee High School in Georgia. He is in custody awaiting trial.
During the trial, the jury was shown pictures of Colt’s bedroom, which included pictures of school shooter Cruz, who killed 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, in 2017.
Colt struggled with anxiety and depression, and maintained a shrine to the Florida massacre next to his computer, the court heard.
Gray told the court he was unaware of his son’s apparent obsession with the killer. He said Colt was a shy teenager who had been bullied at school. Hoping to help his son cope with his mental health struggles, Gray had spoken to a school counsellor.
Colt faces life in jail if found guilty, but because he was 14 years old at the time of the shooting, is not facing the death penalty.
