The father of an accused Georgia school shooter testified in his own defense Friday that he gave his son a rifle as a Christmas present in hopes of bonding with the boy over hunting and outings at the gun range.
In one of the latest cases in which parents are being put on trial after their children are accused in fatal shootings, defense lawyers called Colin Gray to the witness stand. Prosecutors say he should be held accountable for giving his son the weapon despite alleged threats and warning signs that the boy was mentally unstable.
His son, Colt Gray, was 14 at the time of the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, northeast of Atlanta. He faces 55 counts, including murder, in the deaths of four people and 25 counts of aggravated assault. He’s accused of carefully planning the attack that killed two teachers and two students and wounded several others.
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