A Georgia teenager who killed four people in a mass shooting at his high school in 2024 was sentenced Tuesday to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Colt Gray, now 16, pleaded guilty last Friday to all 55 counts against him, including four counts of malice murder and multiple counts of aggravated assault. Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm imposed the maximum sentence after a multi-day hearing that included victim impact statements, testimony from investigators, and arguments from both the prosecution and defense.

Gray was 14 years old on September 4, 2024, when he opened fire at Apalachee High School near Winder, Georgia, about 45 miles northeast of Atlanta. He killed two students — Mason Schermerhorn, 14, and Christian Angulo, 14 — and two teachers — Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Nine other people were wounded, seven of them by gunfire.

In delivering the sentence, Judge Primm described Gray’s actions as “deliberate, contemplated evil.” He noted that Gray had studied previous mass shootings, appeared proud of what he had done, and showed little remorse.

“You wrote, ‘I want to make history. I want people to remember the pain I caused,’ and there you succeeded,” Primm said. “You do not seem to be tormented by what you did. You seem to relish following in the footsteps of the murderers you idolize.”

Prosecutors argued that Gray’s primary motive was to gain notoriety within an online subculture that glorifies mass shooters. District Attorney Brad Smith said the attack was calculated and that Gray had no capacity to value human life.

The defense highlighted Gray’s chaotic upbringing and lack of mental health support, asking the judge to impose a life sentence with the possibility of parole so the teen might eventually have hope of rehabilitation. Gray declined to speak in court before the sentence was handed down.

Gray used an AR-15-style rifle that his father, Colin Gray, had given him as a Christmas gift. Colin Gray was convicted earlier this year on related charges, including second-degree murder, and is scheduled to be sentenced this week.

Family members of the victims urged the court to impose life without parole, saying the possibility of future parole hearings would cause continued pain.

The sentencing closes the criminal case against Colt Gray. Survivors and the families of those killed continue to grieve and recover from the lasting trauma of the attack.

Sources

• ABC News: