WINDER, Ga. — A teenager accused of shooting and killing two students and two teachers at a Georgia high school made his first court appearance on murder charges Friday, hours after his father was arrested on suspicion of encouraging his son to carry a deadly weapon and commit the shooting.
Colt Gray, 14, appeared in Barrow County Superior Court in Winder at 8:30 a.m. ET, where the judge said he is charged with four counts of felony murder. He is being treated as an adult in the case.
Shortly after, her father, Colin Gray, 54, appeared in the same courtroom, charged with 14 counts, including four counts of manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of child abuse. He was told he could face up to 180 years in prison if convicted on all charges.
Two law enforcement sources familiar with the investigation told NBC News Thursday night that Gray had given his son an AR-15-style rifle as a gift.
The judge asked Colt Gray if he could read and write English and whether he understood he had the right to an attorney.
Gray, with messy dyed blond hair and his hands chained in front of his body, answered gently, “Yes, sir.”
Gray’s attorney did not request bail, and a replacement attorney is expected to be appointed later in the day.
Gray left the courtroom but was called back around 9 a.m. to correct one item on his record: the maximum sentence includes life in prison with or without the possibility of parole, but does not include the death penalty.
His next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 4, and he will remain in the Gainesville Juvenile Detention Center.
Gray is also accused of wounding nine other people in a shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder.
Colin Gray appeared in court less than an hour after his son.
The lawyer said a new attorney would be appointed later Friday and did not file a request for bail.
Colin Gray rocked back and forth as the judge spoke. His next preliminary hearing is also scheduled for Dec. 4.
Collin Gray gifted the weapon to his son after he was interviewed by law enforcement in May 2023 in connection with reports of online threats to carry out a school shooting, according to two law enforcement sources.
Colt Gray was not arrested following that investigation because he could not be linked to the online accounts from which he made the threats, according to legal documents.
Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said at a press conference after the hearing that Colt Gray will likely face additional charges in connection with the injuries sustained in the shooting. He will be back for a preliminary hearing when that time comes. Smith said the father could also face additional charges in connection with the injuries.
Smith also clarified that the two counts of second-degree murder that Collin Gray was charged with relate to the two children who were killed, because Georgia law allows charges to be filed when cruelty to a child results in death.
Smith noted that this is the first time in state history that a parent of a school shooting suspect has been charged in connection to a violent incident.
It was also revealed Thursday that Colt Gray’s mother, Marcie Gray, was arrested on domestic violence charges in 2023. According to Barrow County court records, she pleaded guilty in December to one count each of second-degree criminal damage to property and domestic violence trespass.
The court also ordered Marcy Gray not to have any contact with Collin Gray, except through a third party or regarding matters relating to the children or divorce.
Marcie Gray had an arrest warrant out of Barrow County in connection with a November 2023 incident in which drugs were found in her vehicle.
The warrant, obtained by NBC News on Friday, was for two charges of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance after officers found methamphetamine in a glass bottle and fentanyl in a red clear bag in her vehicle. Additionally, the warrants were for misdemeanor possession of a dangerous drug resulting from the discovery of a clear plastic bag containing multiple cyclobenzaprine hydrochloride pills, misdemeanor drugs in their original container because the pills were in a bag, possession of drug related objects resulting from the discovery of a glass pipe, and use of a false license plate to conceal/disguise the identity of a vehicle.
Smith said he believes Marcy Gray is cooperating with authorities in the investigation regarding his son.
Marissa Parra and Maria Pinero reported from Winder, Patrick Smith from London and Marlene Lentin from Los Angeles.