Father of teen school shooter sentenced to 15 years in prison

What the report says

BBC World News reports that Colin Gray, the 55-year-old father of a teenage school shooter in Georgia, has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted on murder, manslaughter and related charges tied to the 2024 attack at Apalachee High School in Winder, outside Atlanta. The shooting killed two students, Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, both 14, and two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.

According to the BBC, Gray’s 16-year-old son, Colt Gray, pleaded guilty last week to the murders. Investigators said the rifle used in the attack had been given to him by his father. Prosecutors argued Colin Gray had repeated opportunities to intervene, describing him as the person best positioned to stop the violence. They sought an 80-year prison term, while the defence asked for 10 years.

Judge Nicholas Primm imposed concurrent sentences on Thursday: 15 years for each second-degree murder count and 10 years for each involuntary manslaughter count. Before sentencing, the judge criticised Gray for not securing firearms, monitoring his son’s online activity or ensuring he received counselling, while also noting that Gray did not personally carry out the shooting.

The BBC says the case is part of a small but growing set of US prosecutions targeting parents after mass shootings committed by their children. It cited CBS News, its US partner, in reporting that this is the third such case in which a parent has been held criminally responsible. The article also referenced the Michigan case in which parents were sentenced in 2024 after their son killed four students with a gun they had purchased for him.