Georgia school shooting suspect’s dad fights ‘epicenter’ murder trial: attorney

close Video

Apalachee High School shooting suspect’s father appears in court for bond hearing

Apalachee High School shooting suspect Colt Gray’s father, Colin Gray, appears in court for a bond hearing in February.

A Barrow County, Georgia, judge ruled Thursday that Colin Gray, who has been charged with 29 crimes related to his son Colt’s alleged mass shooting at Apalachee High School last year, will face a jury from a different county. 

During the afternoon hearing, attorneys for the state and for Gray agreed the trial should be moved, but for different reasons, according to FOX 5 Atlanta.

The defense said the trial needed to be moved to protect the integrity of the trial.

The Barrow County Courthouse Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga.  (Ben Hendren for Fox News Digital)

GEORGIA SCHOOL SHOOTING SUSPECT INVESTIGATED FOR POSSIBLE INTEREST IN SANDY HOOK, PARKLAND MASSACRES

“What we need to do is to find a place where we can get an impartial and fair jury,” Gray’s attorney, Jimmy Berry, said. “I don’t think anywhere in this epicenter are we going to be able to find that.”

The state said it does not want to further affect the well-being of the Barrow County community. 

“The reason the state is agreeing to change of venue from Barrow County is because all of Barrow County was a victim in this case,” District Attorney Brad Smith said.

Ultimately, Chief Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm agreed a venue change was warranted. He noted that the trial will either occur outside the county completely or inside the county with jurors who do not live there. 

Colin Gray, 54, the father of alleged Apalachee High School shooter Colt Gray, 14, enters the Barrow County courthouse for his first appearance Sept. 6, 2024, in Winder, Ga.  (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

GEORGIA HIGH SCHOOL SHOOTING: SUSPECT’S FORMER NEIGHBORS RECOUNT HARROWING STORIES OF ALLEGED ABUSE, CHAOS

“I’ll have to figure out if we’re going to export the trial or import jurors,” he said.

Gray’s charges include second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and reckless conduct.

Colt Gray, then 14, allegedly opened fire inside Apalachee High School Sept. 4, killing four and wounding nine. Of the four victims who were killed, two were teachers and two were students. 

Gray is accused of using a semi-automatic rifle given to him by his father. 

Colt Gray was arrested on four counts of alleged malice murder, four counts of felony murder, plus aggravated assault and cruelty to children in Barrow County, Ga., Sept. 5, 2024. (Barrow County Sheriff’s Office)

The younger Gray was charged with 55 criminal offenses, including four counts of felony murder in the shooting.

The accused killer was on law enforcement’s radar as early as 2023.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office had visited the Gray household multiple times and had flagged Gray as a person of interest leading up to the shooting after a May 2023 report of an online threat to shoot up a middle school that he attended. 

Police investigated that threat and spoke with both Colin and Colt at their home May 21, 2023. 

Colin Gray told authorities weapons were accessible in his home but were not loaded. (Jackson County Sheriff’s Office)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He was also on the FBI’s radar in 2023 when the bureau received anonymous tips regarding the online threat. 

The father and son were indicted Oct. 17. Both have pleaded not guilty. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Berry and Smith.

Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report. 

Peter D’Abrosca joined Fox News Digital in 2025 after four years as a politics reporter at The Tennessee Star. 

He grew up in Rhode Island and is a graduate of Elon University. 

Follow Peter on X at @pmd_reports. Send story tips to peter.dabrosca@fox.com.