Apalachee High School shooting: Colt Gray returning to court for hearing after father's conviction

Colt Gray, the suspected gunman in the shooting at Apalachee High School that left four dead and nine others injured, is scheduled to return to court on Thursday morning for a status hearing.

The hearing comes months after a jury found Colt's father, Colin Gray, guilty on 27 counts, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter, and cruelty to children in connection with the shooting at the Barrow County school.

Investigators claim the then-14-year-old carefully planned the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting, boarding his school bus with a semiautomatic, assault-style rifle in his book bag. He left his second-period class and emerged from a bathroom with the gun and shot people in a classroom and hallways, investigators say.

Gray surrendered to school resource officers within minutes after a report of shots fired went out, and was taken into custody, where he has remained ever since.

The last hearing in the case was in December, where Gray's attorney told the judge they were waiting on the results of a medical evaluation to determine whether they would file additional motions.

The teen is facing a total of 55 counts, including malice murder, aggravated battery, and aggravated assault. He faces up to 30 years in prison for the second-degree murder charges and up to 180 years in total.

Colt Gray has previously pleaded not guilty to all charges. In late 2025, Gray's attorneys indicated he was negotiating a plea deal. It is unclear if those talks are still ongoing.

Colin Gray's sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 28 and 29. A judge has banned media outlets from recording or broadcasting any of the victim testimony during the hearings.