ATLANTA — The father of a teenage boy who is accused of a deadly mass shooting at his Georgia high school was found guilty Tuesday of failing to heed warnings about his son and allowing him unfettered access to the powerful assault-style rifle used in the attack.

The jury deliberated only about two hours before concluding that the father, Colin Gray, 54, was guilty of more than two dozen charges, including second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter, stemming from the attack Sept. 4, 2024, at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia. Two students and two teachers were killed.

Prosecutors said the father had given his son Colt Gray the AR-15-style rifle as a Christmas gift and then let him keep it in his bedroom. Colin Gray did not take it away from Colt even as his behavior became more volatile and he showed signs of an obsession with school shooters, creating what was described as a shrine to one that hung on his wall.

Colt Gray was 14 at the time of the shooting and now faces 55 counts related to the attack, with prosecutors charging him as an adult. He pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.

The prosecution of Colin Gray was the first in Georgia against a parent whose child was accused of a mass shooting. The trial was closely watched as an early test of the approach, which has gained traction across the country in recent years.

Colin Gray looked ahead blankly, pursing his lips, as the verdict was read. Some in the courtroom quietly cried and held hands. If he receives the maximum penalty, Gray could spend the rest of his life in prison.

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This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

By Rick Rojas and Johnny Kauffman/Amanda Kathleen Greene
c. 2026 The New York Times Company