Apalachee High School Shooter Enters Non-Negotiated Guilty Plea
Eighteen-year-old Colt Gray pleaded guilty to all 55 counts at a Columbia County Superior Court hearing on Friday, July 24, 2026, in a non-negotiated plea that could bring up to 180 years in prison.[1]
Victims' family members addressed the court, describing the impact of the Sept. 4, 2024, Apalachee High School shooting and their reactions to Gray's plea.[1] Prosecutors said the non-negotiated plea leaves Gray exposed to a potential aggregate sentence of up to 180 years, with up to 30 years on each second-degree murder count.[1] The judge set a future sentencing date and said he would consider but was not bound by prosecutors' recommendations.[1] Authorities say the 2024 shooting killed four people at Apalachee High School.[2]
On Sept. 4, 2024, four people were killed in the Apalachee High School shooting.[2] The prosecution moved the case to Columbia County because of heavy pretrial publicity in Barrow County and concerns about travel burdens on victims.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- On Friday, July 24, 2026, 18-year-old Colt Gray formally changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on all 55 counts in Columbia County Superior Court (Colt Gray).
- Prosecutors said the non-negotiated guilty plea leaves Gray facing a potential aggregate sentence of up to 180 years, including up to 30 years on each second-degree murder count (up to 180 years).
- The judge set a future sentencing hearing date and indicated he will consider but is not bound by prosecution recommendations (sentencing hearing).
- Victims’ families spoke at the July 24 hearing, describing the impact of the Sept. 4, 2024 Apalachee High School shooting and their reactions to Gray’s guilty plea (Sept. 4, 2024 Apalachee High School shooting).
- The case was moved to Columbia County because of pretrial publicity in Barrow County, a change cited by courts that also highlighted travel burdens on victims (Columbia County).
- CBS News reported on Friday, July 24, 2026, that the teen accused of killing four people in the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting pleaded guilty to all charges at a court hearing that day, reiterating that the shooting resulted in four fatalities (CBS News).
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- CBS News reported on July 24, 2026, that the teen accused of killing four people in the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting in Georgia pleaded guilty to all charges.
- The CBS segment reiterated that the case involves four fatalities from the 2024 school shooting.
- The article, published at 11:29 a.m. Central on July 24, 2026, confirms the guilty plea occurred at a court hearing that day.
- Article confirms that 18-year-old Colt Gray formally changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on all 55 counts in Columbia County Superior Court on Friday, July 24, 2026.
- The hearing included statements from victims’ families describing the impact of the Sept. 4, 2024 Apalachee High School shooting and their reactions to Gray’s decision to plead guilty.
- Prosecutors reiterated that the non-negotiated plea leaves Gray facing a potential aggregate sentence of up to 180 years, including up to 30 years on each second-degree murder count.
- The judge set a specific future date for Gray’s sentencing hearing and indicated he will consider but is not bound by prosecution recommendations.
- Reporting reiterates that the case was moved to Columbia County due to pretrial publicity in Barrow County, underscoring venue-change rationales and victim travel burdens.