By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
WINDER, Ga. — A Barrow County jury has found a Georgia father guilty of murder, manslaughter, and related charges in connection with the 2024 shooting at Apalachee High School, a case that legal experts say fits into a growing, though still rare, trend of holding parents criminally responsible when their children commit mass violence.
Colin Gray, 55, was convicted on multiple counts, including second-degree murder in the deaths of two 14-year-old students and involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of two teachers killed in the Sept. 4, 2024, attack. Jurors also found him guilty of reckless conduct and cruelty to children after less than two hours of deliberation.
Prosecutors argued Gray supplied his son, then 14-year-old Colt Gray, with access to a semiautomatic rifle and ammunition despite mounting warning signs about the boy’s mental health and violent fixation. According to evidence, Colt brought the rifle concealed in a backpack onto a school bus and used it to shoot classmates and teachers, killing four and injuring several others.
Gray showed little reaction as the verdict was read. Deputies handcuffed him and escorted him from the courtroom. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Colt Gray, now 16, faces dozens of charges including malice murder in the juvenile court, and has pleaded not guilty.
Legal analysts note that the prosecution of parents in school shooting cases remains uncommon, but is gaining attention. In a high-profile case out of Michigan, James and Jennifer Crumbley became the first parents in U.S. history to be convicted of involuntary manslaughter for a mass shooting committed by their son at Oxford High School in 2021, where four students were killed. Prosecutors in that case argued the Crumbleys ignored clear warning signs about their son’s behavior and failed to secure the firearm he used, and the couple received decade-long prison sentences.
Experts say such cases hinge on proving that parents were neglectful or reckless in providing access to weapons or failing to act on evident risks. Some states are also considering broader measures to hold parents accountable for repeated juvenile offenses. Still, legal scholars caution that pursuing criminal liability against parents treads a fine line, raising questions about fairness, foreseeability, and the proper scope of parental duty when children commit violent crimes.
While rare, these prosecutions reflect an evolving legal landscape in which prosecutors are testing the limits of parental responsibility in the context of school violence. Whether they will serve as a wider deterrent or prompt legislative action remains a matter of debate among policymakers and advocates alike.
The Dale County Chronicle reached out to firearm safety instructor Lieutenant Kendall Hatfield with the Dale County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) for advice for parents and other gun owners.
Lt. Kendall Hatfield emphasized that firearm safety education is essential in a country where guns are widely present, even among people who may never plan to own one. Hatfield noted that the United States has more firearms than people, making it increasingly likely that individuals will encounter a weapon at some point in their lives. Because of that reality, he believes basic firearm safety training should be more widespread.
“Even a person who never plans on owning a firearm may encounter one and needs to know how to handle it safely and be able to identify if others are handling them correctly and safely,” Hatfield said.
Hatfield said education should begin early and continue throughout a child’s school years. He believes firearm safety instruction could help children understand when it is appropriate to handle a weapon and when they should leave a situation involving a firearm. According to Hatfield, children should only touch a firearm when they have permission and are under the direct supervision of a responsible adult.
The deputy also stressed the importance of helping young people understand the permanent consequences that firearms can have. “Children need to understand that you can’t put the bullet back in the gun and the damage it causes is final,” Hatfield said. “One bullet can ruin multiple lives.”
Hatfield added that responsibility ultimately rests with gun owners to ensure their firearms are properly secured. He said safe storage and responsible ownership are critical to preventing tragedies and keeping guns out of the hands of children and criminals.
“Every gun owner must be a safe, responsible gun owner,” Hatfield said. “They are responsible for keeping their guns safe, secure, and out of the hands of children and criminals alike.”
The DCSO has held a number of firearm training sessions for residents, and if you have any questions about how to be a safe and responsible tub owner, you are encouraged to reach out to the Sheriff’s Office. The department does not want residents to feel nervous about reaching out for advice because keeping the community safe is their top priority and they are there to help.
