Georgia school shooter Colt Gray pleads guilty to all 55 charges

Teenager accused of carrying out the 2024 mass shooting at Georgia's Apalachee High School has pleaded guilty to all 55 charges against him, including murder, nearly two years after the attack that killed four people.

Colt Gray, now 16, entered the guilty plea on Friday without reaching an agreement with prosecutors, as per NBC News. He was 14 when the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting took place at Apalachee High School in Winder, about 45 miles northeast of Atlanta.

Guilty plea avoids trial

Gray was charged as an adult and had been scheduled to stand trial in October.

The charges stem from a shooting that killed teachers Richard "Ricky" Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, along with 14-year-old students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo. One teacher and eight students were also injured, with seven suffering gunshot wounds.

During Friday's hearing, the judge questioned Gray to ensure he understood the consequences of his plea and that it was entered voluntarily. Gray responded affirmatively to each question.

Judge to decide parole eligibility

The guilty plea means Gray now faces sentencing instead of trial.

Under Georgia law, murder carries a mandatory life sentence. The court must now determine whether Gray will be eligible for parole or spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of release.

Victims' relatives and survivors addressed the court during the hearing, describing the lasting impact of the shooting and urging the judge to impose life without parole.

The hearing is expected to continue next week, when Gray's defence team plans to present testimony from mental health experts, a juvenile detention counsellor and his grandmother.

Investigation revealed detailed planning

Investigators testified that Gray told a teacher he needed to see a crisis counsellor shortly before the shooting but instead went to a bathroom, where authorities say he prepared for the attack.

According to investigators, he later opened fire inside a classroom before shooting additional victims in the hallway and eventually surrendering to responding officers.

Prosecutors also presented evidence that investigators found a notebook outlining a detailed plan for the shooting, including notes about how to avoid alerting others before carrying out the attack.

During police interviews after the shooting, Gray reportedly apologised repeatedly, described the incident as "horrible" and said he had been struggling with disturbing thoughts and believed he needed mental health treatment.

Father's conviction linked to shooting

Earlier this year, Gray's father, Colin Gray, was convicted on charges including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors argued he provided his son with the assault-style rifle used in the attack. He is scheduled to be sentenced next week.