Father who bought AR-15 for Georgia school shooter learns fate in first-of-its-kind conviction

Colin Gray, the father of Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison after a Georgia judge said he "failed as a parent" by ignoring escalating warning signs before the 2024 school massacre.

Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm sentenced Gray, 55, to concurrent prison terms after telling him "the warning lights were flashing brighter and brighter" before the shooting and that he failed to remove his son's access to firearms or get him needed mental health treatment.

"It is clear you failed as a parent," Primm said before handing down the sentence. "The weight of your crimes is tethered and tied to the acts of someone else, your son."

A jury convicted Colin Gray in March on 27 counts, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, after prosecutors argued he gave his son the AR-15-style rifle used in the attack despite mounting concerns about the teen's mental health. He is the first parent of a school shooter to be convicted of murder.

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The sentencing came after Colt Gray pleaded guilty to all 55 charges against him and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

During Thursday's hearing, victims' family members urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence, describing the lasting pain caused by the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting.

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Shayna Aspinwall, the widow of slain teacher Richard "Ricky" Aspinwall, told the court she suffers from PTSD and is raising the couple's two daughters alone after her husband's death.

"Our daughters must grow up without their father," Aspinwall testified. "They will miss his guidance, his encouragement, his hugs, and all the milestones he should have been here to witness – birthdays, graduations, weddings, and everyday moments that make up a lifetime will forever be marked by his absence."

She argued that while Colin Gray did not pull the trigger, his failure as a parent and gun owner helped make the tragedy possible.

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In explaining the sentence, Primm said Colin Gray's crimes stemmed from criminal negligence because he failed to intervene despite obvious warning signs. The judge said Colin Gray could have locked the family's firearms, removed the ammunition, or stored the weapons elsewhere while seeking mental health treatment for his son, telling him that had he taken those steps, "you wouldn't be here today."

The shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County killed teachers Richard "Ricky" Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, along with students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Nine other people were injured.

Prosecutors said Colin Gray ignored warning signs about his son's deteriorating mental health and continued providing him with access to firearms, including the AR-15-style rifle authorities said was used in the attack.

Gray is among a small number of U.S. parents criminally charged in connection with a shooting carried out by their child, and the first in Georgia.

Friday marks Apalachee High School's first day back for the new school year.

Fox News Digital previously reported that Colt Gray pleaded guilty after initially pleading not guilty to the charges. Before accepting the plea, Judge Primm questioned the teen to ensure he understood the consequences, with Gray responding, "Yes, your honor," to each question.

Fox News Digital's Greg Norman-Diamond, Michael Dorgan, The Associated Press contributed to this report.