Georgia
Teen and father face murder charges after Georgia high school shooting
A grand jury in Georgia has indicted a father and son for their roles in a deadly mass shooting at Apalachee High School, Winder.
The incident, which took place on Sept. 4, claimed four lives and wounded several others, plunged the community of Barrow County into shock and despair.
Colt Gray, 14, has been charged as an adult with 55 counts, including four murder charges and 25 counts of aggravated assault.
His father, Colin Gray, 54, faces 29 counts, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter.
Both father and son are scheduled for arraignment on November 21.
The shooting resulted in the deaths of two teachers, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and two students, Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14.
Seven other students and a teacher were injured, some critically.
AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File
Barrow County District Attorney Brad Smith, who is handling the prosecution, told reporters that this case has presented some unique challenges.
“Every person, every kid in that school was a victim,” Smith said.
“Kids in all the other schools that were locked down during this were victims. Parents that were terrified about where their kids were.”
Colin Gray’s second-degree murder charges are an unusual feature in Georgia law, brought when a child’s death occurs during a case of cruelty to children.
The indictment accuses Gray of giving his son access to guns and ammunition despite being warned of the dangers.
Investigators testified that Gray ignored repeated signs of his son’s mental health deterioration and fascination with violence.
AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, Pool, File)
They said the teenager carefully plotted the attack, carrying a semiautomatic rifle onto the school bus and using a poster board to conceal it.
A Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent testified that Colt Gray carried a diagram of his second-period classroom, estimating that he could kill as many as 26 people and wound as many as 13 others. “Surprised if I make it this far,” he wrote.
Colt Gray’s interest in previous school shootings had been noted by his parents.
His mother, Marcee Gray, told investigators she had argued with Colin Gray, urging him to secure his weapons.
Georgia Bureau of Investigation Agent Kelsey Ward claims that instead of taking action, Colin bought their son shooting accessories and ammunition.
Ward testified that Colt had created a “shrine” to school shooters, including an image of Nikolas Cruz, the gunman responsible for the Parkland, Florida, school shooting.
Despite this, Colt’s parents dismissed the behavior as “joking,” choosing not to intervene.
AP Photo/Charlotte Kramon, File
Further testimony revealed that Colt’s mother had tried to get her son into a mental health facility just days before the shooting.
However, the plan fell through after a dispute between Colt’s parents about whether to secure the family’s guns.
District Attorney Smith said that the responsibility for preventing such a tragedy extends to the home.
The Grays’ case echoes another high-profile school shooting in Michigan, where Jennifer and James Crumbley were convicted for their failure to secure a firearm that was later used by their son in a school attack.
They were sentenced to at least ten years in prison for involuntary manslaughter.
As the trial date approaches, both Colt and Colin Gray remain in custody. Neither has sought release on bail. Their lawyers have yet to comment publicly.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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Packing for a cruise made easy with 10 overlooked essentials and smart boarding day tips to help you stay organized and stress-free.
It can be hard to find a truly unique experience for your next vacation. That’s where Travel + Leisure comes in.
Back in May, members of the publication’s team created a list in celebration of America’s 250th Fourth of July, highlighting a unique experience in each state “from hidden gems to iconic highlights and editor-approved favorites.”
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Most unique experience in Georgia
The Georgia spot highlighted was the World of Quercus. Here’s what writer Lydia Mansel said about it:
“The 3,800-acre property, dotted with pecan groves and cabins, isn’t your run-of-the-mill retreat. Guests are encouraged to roam the land by golf cart or on foot, visit the biodynamic vegetable garden, fish the Flint River, and connect with the ranch’s horses. Owned by Chiara Visconti di Modrone and her husband Angelos Pervanas, Quercus is a place where relaxation comes in many forms—and you can design your experience to fit your pace and preferences.”
Where is Quercus?
Quercus is in Gay at 208 Caldwell St. It’s about 30 miles east of LaGrange and over 50 miles south of Atlanta.
How much is Quercus per night?
The Sylva, Ember, and Cypress cabins are $2,700 per night. The Naya cabin is $4,500 per night.
Unique experiences in the South
- Alabama: Freedom Monument Sculpture Park
- Florida: Greater Florida Everglades
- Georgia: Quercus
- Kentucky: Kentucky African American Heritage Trail
- Louisiana: New Orleans Museum of Art
- Missouri: Anheuser-Busch Brewery
- Mississippi: Vikin’s Mississippi Delta Explorer
- North Carolina: Good Hot Fish
- South Carolina: Casual Crabbing with Tia
- Tennessee: Blackberry Farm
- Virginia: Chincoteague Island
- West Virginia: New River Gorge National Park
Miguel Legoas is a Deep South Connect Team Reporter for USA Today. Find him on Instagram @miguelegoas and email at mlegoas@gannett.com.
APPLING COUNTY, Ga. (WCYB) — The co-owner of Yurezz Home Center in Greeneville has been arrested in Georgia, according to a report obtained by News 5.
Earlier this week, News 5 told you about the dealership in Greeneville that abruptly shut down last month.
This has left homeowners with partially built homes and employees without jobs.
It is not yet clear why Richard Altman was taken into custody.
This is a developing story.
Georgia
Georgia Supreme Court upholds convictions of men in deadly shooting during gas station carjacking
Two men found guilty of murdering a man while he was pumping air into his tires at a Georgia gas station will remain in prison, the Georgia Supreme Court has ruled.
Miles Chatezal Collins and Josiah Hughley, Jr. had appealed to the state’s highest court after they were found guilty of felony murder, aggravated assault, violating Georgia’s Street Gang, Terrorism and Prevention Act, and hijacking a motor vehicle, among other charges in 2025.
The men’s charges stem from a shooting on July 10, 2022, at a QuickTrip gas station in Peachtree Corners. According to the Gwinnett County District Attorney’s Office, 30-year-old Bradley Lamar Coleman had stopped at the gas station to fill up his tires when Collins, Hughley, and a third man pulled up beside him and tried to steal his Dodge Charger.
When Coleman tried to stop the men, officials say they shot him and fled the scene.
Authorities say the three men were members of the Blood gang and had tried to steal the car to increase their status.
While their first trial ended in a mistrial due to a comment by the prosecution, a jury found Collins, Hughley, and their co-defendant, David Jarrad Booker, guilty of more than a dozen charges in 2025. They were each sentenced to life plus 145 years in prison.
In Collins and Hughley’s appeal to the state Supreme Court, they argued that there was insufficient evidence to support some of the charges and that the judge in the case improperly admitted certain evidence and committed errors in instructing the jurors.
The justices’ rulings disagreed, finding that their attorneys failed to object to the supposed errors and that the two men’s claims were insufficient.
The judges also found that a claim by Hughley that his counsel failed him by not asserting that a statement made to law enforcement should have been suppressed. With those findings, the Supreme Court chose not to overrule the case, letting the convictions and sentences stand.
“We are grateful for this affirmation from the Georgia Supreme Court,” Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin-Gatson said. “Thanks to the incredible work of our team of trial and appellate prosecutors, and all of the staff that assisted with defending these convictions, two dangerous criminals will remain in prison.”
Booker’s appeal remains pending.
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