BARROW COUNTY, Ga. — The student accused of the deadly Apalachee High School shooting officially changed his plea to guilty Friday morning.
Colt Gray, 16, entered the courtroom just after 9:20 am. He stood next to his attorney, Charlton Allen, when he told the judge he has changed his mind about his innocence. Judge Nicholas Primm asked Gray if the decision was based on his own free will.
“Yes, your Honor,” said Gray.
“I think he’s fully capable of making this decision,” his attorney told the judge.
Judge Primm adjourned the hearing until Monday around 4:30 p.m. on Friday afternoon.
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COLT GRAY SENTENCING
The hearing immediately moved to the sentencing phase in which the judge will decide the result. The judge told Gray the minimum punishment he’s facing is a life sentence that could allow parole.
He said the maximum punishment is life in prison without parole.
FAMILIES OF THE APALACHEE VICTIMS GIVE IMPACT STATEMENTS
Four people died in the shooting. Two of them were teachers: Ricky Aspinwall and Cristina Irimie. Two were students: Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo.
Families of those killed are in the courtroom. They could be heard breathing a sigh of relief and saying, “Thank God” when Gray announced his guilty plea.
He was a 14-year-old freshman at the school in Sept. 2024 when he carried out the mass shooting. A Barrow County grand jury indicted Gray, officially charging him with 55 crimes, in Oct. 2024.
Three other students were shot but survived. Shrapnel hit two other students. A teacher, David Phenix, was shot. He survived after another teacher, Valerie Lancaster, rendered aid.
At least 10 more students in a classroom where Gray opened fire survived but reported critical mental health issues since.
Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith said counts one through 12 are connected to four people killed. Counts 13-23 are connected to three students who were shot but survived.
Counts 24-25 are connected to adults who were in the room Gray stepped into and fired indiscriminately. Counts 26-53 are connected to non-injured children in that room. Counts 54 and 55 are connected to two children caught in the hallway as Gray carried out the rampage.
WHAT IS A NON-NEGOTIATED PLEA DEAL?
Prosecutors said this is a non-negotiated plea deal. The state will make arguments for what they believe the appropriate sentence is.
Then, the defense will have a chance to argue for the sentence they believe is appropriate.
The judge is now listening to family members of those who were killed. They are describing their loss since.
Gray watched, appeared to listen, and looked down at times as Breonna Schermerhorn spoke first. She is the mother of Mason Schermerhorn, a child killed in the hallway.
“I hope that one day he truly understand the weight of what he chose to do,” she said.
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