Colin Gray Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Criminal Negligence in Son's School Shooting
Colin Gray was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Thursday for his role in the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting. The court ruled that Gray was responsible for criminal negligence after he purchased an AR-15-style rifle for his son, Colt Gray, and left it unsecured in a bedroom closet. While Gray did not intentionally plan the attack, Judge Nicholas Primm noted that his actions were a proximate cause of the shooting that killed four people and injured seven others. Defense attorney Brian Hobbs plans to appeal the conviction, noting that Gray was unaware of his son's specific violent plans. Prosecutors had requested an 80-year sentence, while the defense requested 20 years. The sentencing marks a first-of-its-kind conviction for a parent of a school shooter. The case highlights the accountability of parents for the juvenile mass shooters, similar to the cases of James and Jennifer Crumbley. Colt Gray was sentenced to life in prison without parole earlier this week.