Teen pleads guilty to murder in a 2024 shooting that left 4 dead at Georgia's Apalachee High School

By — Kate Brumback, Associated Press Kate Brumback, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/teen-pleads-guilty-to-murder-in-a-2024-shooting-that-left-4-dead-at-georgias-apalachee-high-school Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Teen pleads guilty to murder in a 2024 shooting that left 4 dead at Georgia's Apalachee High School Nation Jul 24, 2026 1:09 PM EDT WINDER, Ga. (AP) — A teenager has pleaded guilty to all 55 counts, including murder, in a shooting nearly two years ago at Apalachee High School in Georgia that killed two students and two teachers. Colt Gray, 16, entered the plea Friday without having reached a deal with prosecutors. He had previously pleaded not guilty to charges in the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting that also left several others wounded, at the high school about 45 miles (73 kilometers) northeast of Atlanta. Gray, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, was charged as an adult with the 55 total counts, including murder in the four deaths and 25 counts of aggravated assault. His trial had been scheduled to start in mid-October. A jury in March convicted his father, Colin Gray, on charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, and he is scheduled to be sentenced next week. Prosecutors said the elder Gray gave his son the assault-style rifle used to open fire at the school. READ MORE: Georgia high school shooting suspect's father convicted of second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter Teachers Richard "Ricky" Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, died in the shooting. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded, seven of them hit by gunfire. Plea means teen faces life in prison Before accepting the plea, Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm asked Gray a series of questions meant to ensure that the teenager was aware of the consequences of his plea and was entering it voluntarily. To each question, Gray responded, "Yes, your honor." Because he pleaded guilty to murder, Gray faces a minimum sentence of life in prison. The judge must decide whether he should be eligible for parole after hearing victim statements, evidence and each side's summary of the case. READ MORE: Georgia teen charged in Apalachee High School shooting to appear in court for plea and sentencing Gray sat at a table in the courtroom with his feet chained together next to his attorney. Members of the community, including some victims and family members, were present in the courtroom. Victim on Colt Gray: 'Those decisions were his and his alone' Breanna Schermerhorn, whose son Mason was killed, told the judge she does not forgive Colt Gray. She said that while adults around him missed multiple warning signs, he was the one who decided to bring a gun to school and to pull the trigger. "Those decisions were his and his alone," she said. She described her son as someon