US dad who gave gun to high school shooter gets 15 years in prison

A man who gave his son the gun he used to kill two students and two teachers at Apalachee High School in Georgia was sentenced Thursday to 15 years in prison.

Colin Gray’s sentencing comes days after his son, Colt Gray, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole in the September 4, 2024, shooting at the school 70km (45 miles) northeast of Atlanta. Colt Gray had pleaded guilty to murder and other charges.

A defence lawyer for Colin Gray asked the judge for a sentence that would amount to 10 years in prison followed by 10 years on probation. The district attorney said Gray deserved a sentence of 80 years in prison.

Judge Nicholas Primm, who also sentenced Colt Gray earlier this week, noted that all of Colin Gray’s crimes were crimes of negligence “tethered to the tragedy committed by his son”.

“My heart aches for everyone that was there that day, for all of you that have been impacted by it. But the law requires that I set aside emotion. I don’t get to sentence with passion. I have the nearly impossible task of sentencing you without passion despite the immeasurable heartache that you caused,” Primm said.

The elder Gray is one of a handful of American parents who have been criminally charged after their children were accused in shootings.