Teen Colt Gray pleads guilty to committing mass shooting at his Georgia high school


A teenage boy accused of carrying out a mass shooting at his Georgia high school pleaded guilty Friday to all 55 counts against him, including murder and aggravated assault.

Colt Gray, 16, agreed to a non-negotiated guilty plea, the judge said, meaning there is no plea deal; the state will present its argument for an appropriate sentence, and the defense will do the same.

The judge said the minimum sentence is life with parole and the maximum is a life sentence without parole.

School shooting suspect Colt Gray exits the Barrow County Courthouse, Dec. 9, 2025, in Winder, Ga.

Mike Stewart/AP Photo

Gray was 14 years old in September 2024 when he opened fire at Apalachee High School, killing two students and two teachers and injuring several others.

Breanna Schermerhorn, whose son, Mason Schermerhorn, was killed, said in a victim impact statement Friday, “Mason was so much more than a victim.”

“Mason was kind, compassionate, funny and fiercely protective of others,” she said. “As a child with exceptional needs, he understood what it felt like to struggle and be overlooked by others. Instead of becoming bitter, he became an advocate.”

“He made people that were typically unseen feel seen, accepted and safe,” she said.

The entrance sign of Apalachee High School adorned with flowers from visitors on September 5, 2024 in Winder, Georgia.

Jessica Mcgowan/Getty Images

“I had no doubt in my mind if Colt had actually attended school as he should have, that Mason would have befriended him,” Breanna Schermerhorn said.

She said Gray “knew that pulling that trigger was wrong, he knew that every choice he made that day would forever alter countless lives.”

A police line is put up in front of Apalachee High School after a school shooting took place on September 4, 2024 in Winder, Georgia.

Megan Varner/Getty Images

Gray was accused of carrying out the shooting with a rifle his father, Colin Gray, gifted him as a Christmas present, officials said. This March, Colin Gray was convicted of charges including second-degree murder and manslaughter, becoming the first parent in the U.S. convicted of murder due to the alleged acts of their child.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.



Source link

  • Related Posts

    FDA reports new cyclospora outbreak linked to unspecified product as North Carolina probes cilantro, parsley

    Federal health officials have identified a new cyclospora outbreak stemming from an unspecified product, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday. The FDA said the source of the outbreak…

    Nolan Wells’ Death Rattles Black Parents About All-White Spaces

    LaTonya Davis has been following the death of Nolan Wells “constantly on TikTok,” she said, and has been thinking of her 21-year-old nephew, Jayden Holmes, whom she has called her…

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    You Missed

    Once seeking Senate reform, Alberta now ponders voting to be ‘rid of the darn thing’

    Once seeking Senate reform, Alberta now ponders voting to be ‘rid of the darn thing’

    Zendaya Styles Versace 2016 Dress for ‘Spider-Man’ Shanghai Premiere

    Zendaya Styles Versace 2016 Dress for ‘Spider-Man’ Shanghai Premiere

    The billion-dollar problem keeping Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound from patients

    The billion-dollar problem keeping Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound from patients

    US Measles Infections Surpass 2025 Total to Reach 35-Year High

    How the cyclospora outbreak is impacting the food industry

    How the cyclospora outbreak is impacting the food industry

    Tesla’s car door defect could lead to tougher rules for everyone

    Tesla’s car door defect could lead to tougher rules for everyone