A 16-year-old boy has pleaded guilty to all 55 counts in the 2024 mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Georgia. Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time of the attack, admitted guilt in a non-negotiated plea hearing on Friday, meaning no pre-arranged sentencing deal was reached. The shooting on September 4, 2024, killed two students—Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14—and two teachers, Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Eight other students and one teacher were wounded, seven by gunfire.
Gray’s sentencing will be determined by Judge Nicholas Primm, who will hear arguments from both the prosecution and defense. The minimum sentence is life with parole, while the maximum is life without parole. The trial had been scheduled to begin in October in Columbia County after a change of venue was granted due to extensive media coverage in Barrow County, where the shooting occurred.
Gray’s father, Colin Gray, was convicted in March on charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors alleged that Colin Gray provided his son with the assault-style rifle used in the shooting. Colin Gray is scheduled to be sentenced next week.
During the hearing, Breanna Schermerhorn, mother of victim Mason Schermerhorn, delivered a victim impact statement, describing her son as kind and compassionate. She noted that Mason, who had exceptional needs, was an advocate for others. Schermerhorn also stated that Gray knew his actions were wrong and would forever alter lives.
The prosecution plans to present surveillance footage, crime scene photos, and testimony from teenage victims and witnesses during the sentencing phase.