ATLANTA — A Georgia judge has scheduled a non-negotiated plea and sentencing hearing for Colt Gray, the teenager accused of carrying out the deadly 2024 mass shooting at Apalachee High School, signaling a major development in one of the state’s most devastating school shooting cases.
The hearing is set to begin on July 24, 2026, after Gray, now 16, previously pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including murder. The hearing follows the judge’s directive that Gray notify the court by this week if he intended to change his plea before trial.
A non-negotiated plea means prosecutors and the defense have not reached a plea agreement regarding punishment. If Gray pleads guilty, the judge—not a negotiated deal—will determine his sentence after hearing recommendations from both sides.
Gray had been scheduled to stand trial in October 2026 in Columbia County after the court approved a defense request to move the case from Barrow County, where the shooting occurred.
The charges stem from the September 4, 2024, shooting at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, which claimed the lives of four people:
Richard “Ricky” Aspinwall, 39, teacher
Cristina Irimie, 53, teacher
Mason Schermerhorn, 14, student
Christian Angulo, 14, student
Another teacher and eight students were injured, with seven suffering gunshot wounds.
Prosecutors allege that Gray, who was 14 at the time, brought an assault-style rifle onto a school bus with its barrel concealed inside a poster board. Investigators say he later retrieved the weapon from a bathroom before opening fire inside a classroom and hallway.
Gray faces 55 criminal counts, including murder, aggravated assault, and cruelty to children.
Investigators have described the attack as carefully planned. Evidence presented in court includes a notebook allegedly left behind by Gray containing detailed instructions, diagrams, and estimates of how many people he believed he could kill or injure during the attack.
The case has also drawn attention because of the prosecution of Gray’s father, Colin Gray. In March 2026, a jury found him guilty of charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors argued that he knowingly gave his son the rifle used in the shooting despite warning signs about the teenager’s mental health and behavior. Colin Gray is scheduled to be sentenced later this month.
Court testimony also revealed that Colt Gray’s family had sought mental health assistance before the shooting, but he reportedly never received counseling. Prosecutors further alleged that despite concerns raised by the teenager’s mother, Colin Gray continued purchasing ammunition and firearm accessories for his son.
The upcoming July 24 hearing could determine whether Colt Gray formally pleads guilty or proceeds toward trial. If he enters a guilty plea without an agreement, the court will move directly into sentencing proceedings, with the judge deciding the appropriate punishment based on the evidence and arguments presented by both the prosecution and the defense.