Judge grants bond for father of teen accused in deadly Georgia high school shooting
A Georgia father charged for providing the gun his son used in a deadly school shooting remains in jail two days after a judge granted him bond.
Colin Gray, 54, remains behind bars, according to the Barrow County Clerk of Court. Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm set bond at $500,000 on Tuesday for Gray, 54, whose 14-year-old son Colt Gray is accused of going into Alapachee High School and opening fire with a gun, killing two teachers and two of Gray's fellow students.
Nine others were injured in the September 2024 shooting.
The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office has charged the father with numerous crimes, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct.
Authorities have said the father gave his son the weapon as a Christmas present in 2023 knowing his son had been accused of making online threats as a school shooter.
In granting bond, Prim had two main issues to consider, including whether Gray is a flight risk or whether he is a danger to the community.
If Gray is released on the bond, the judge ordered him to have no contact with witnesses in the case.
Colin Gray’s attorney, Brian A. Hobbs of Marietta, requested a bond based on his arguments that the father is not a danger to his community nor would he flee the area. Hobbs also asked the judge not to give “an excessive bond,” according to the document filed with the Barrow County Clerk of Court. Hobbs was not immediately available for comment on Thursday morning.
It is still rare for the parents of underage school shooters to be charged for any role they might have played in the shooting. In April, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 when he killed four students at Oxford High School in Michigan, were sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison.
Jennifer and James Crumbley were the first parents of a mass shooter to be convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Authorities said James bought his son the gun he used in the 2021 shooting and both parents ignored Ethan's pleas for help and warning signs about his deteriorating mental health. Ethan Crumbley is serving a life sentence.