Colin Gray, the dad of the 14-year-old boy accused in the mass shooting incident at Apalachee High School in Georgia this past September, entered a not guilty plea via his attorney on Thursday regarding his involvement in the shooting.

Gray chose not to attend the arraignment session on Thursday in Barrow County Superior Court, and his attorneys, Jimmy Berry and Brian Hobbs, submitted the plea for him during a brief court appearance.

He is facing a 29-count indictment that includes multiple offenses, such as second-degree murder and reckless conduct. Investigators revealed that Gray bought the AR-15 style rifle used in the shooting as a Christmas present for his son, Colt Gray.

In a previous hearing in October, Colt Gray also did not attend his arraignment, but his lawyer filed a motion for a not guilty plea and requested a jury trial. He has been indicted on 22 counts of aggravated assault, 18 counts of child cruelty, and charges for malice and felony murder.

The young suspect is alleged to have smuggled the rifle into Apalachee High in Winder, Georgia, on September 4. As a ninth-grader, he is accused of killing two classmates and two teachers. The victims include 14-year-olds Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, as well as math teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Christina Irimie, 53. Additionally, eight other students and another teacher suffered injuries.

Recently, state prosecutors issued subpoenas for records from three shooting ranges operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, seeking information about Colin and Colt Gray, which includes sign-in sheets, identification details, payments, surveillance footage, and any related records.

The case is currently in the preliminary hearing stage, with trial dates for both defendants yet to be established.

Parents being held accountable for children’s violent acts

Colin Gray stands as one of the first parents in the U.S. facing criminal charges for the actions of their children in mass shooting incidents, with his case representing one of the most serious thus far.

This year, Jennifer and James Crumbley made headlines as the first parents convicted and sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison for involuntary manslaughter related to their son’s shooting at a Michigan high school in November 2021. The Crumbleys acknowledged that they disregarded warning signs regarding their son Ethan and provided him with the firearm used in the attack that resulted in four student deaths.

Experts have indicated that the verdict against the Crumbleys could influence similar legal actions by prosecutors nationwide in the future.

GBI Director Chris Hosey commented on Colin Gray’s charges in September, emphasizing, “These charges arise from Mr. Gray’s decision to knowingly allow his son, Colt, access to a firearm.”

A report from the May 2023 inquiry indicated that Colin Gray maintained that he owned hunting rifles that Colt could not access. Lead investigator Daniel Miller Jr. noted, “I advised Colin to store his firearms securely.”

This warning suggests that the parent was aware of potential dangers, according to Adam Winkler, a law professor at UCLA and a firearms policy expert. He mentioned that there were valid concerns regarding the child’s access to guns.