In a shocking move, a Georgia jury on Tuesday held a father responsible for the action of his son!
Colin Gray's son Colt Gray allegedly killed two schoolmates and two teachers while being armed with an AR-15-style rifle kept inside their home.
The panel in Barrow County found Colin guilty of all charges, which included second-degree murder and cruelty to children, linked to the September 4, 2024 mass shooting, alleged to have been carried out by his son at Apalachee High School in Winder.
While rare, the prosecution of a parent for their child committing a school shooting has at least one precedent.
James Crumbley and his wife, Jennifer Crumbley, were both found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the 2021 deadly shooting spree at Oxford High School in Detroit by their son Ethan Crumbley.
According to Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith, Colt's mother had cited the Crumbley case when she urged, before the 2024 shooting, that her son should not have access to guns.
"I think you saw in this case that the mother actually reviewed what happened in Michigan ... and she then, as a result of that, asked her husband to remove the weapons," Smith said.
He added, "It could have ended this tragedy."
The jury found Colin guilty on all 27 charges.
While Judge Nicholas Primm did not immediately set a date for sentencing, Colin could spend the rest of his life in prison.
The alleged gunman, Colt, is accused of using the firearm his father should have secured to carry out the slaughter about 45 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.
Colt, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, remains in custody, and a trial date has not yet been set.
Prosecutors accused Colin Gray of ignoring warning signs of his son's potential violence and allowing him access to the high-capacity weapon used at Apalachee High School.
