The mother of a teenage school shooting suspect testified in court that the boy’s father, Colin Gray, “didn’t want to deal with” their son’s mental health issues before the attack at Apalachee High School in Georgia.
During her sworn testimony, Marcee Gray described her son’s ongoing struggles with anxiety and said Gray avoided confronting or seeking help for those problems. Her statements were presented as part of court proceedings examining the circumstances leading up to the September 4, 2024 shooting and the role of parental awareness and involvement.
Marcee Gray, the mother of the teenage boy accused in the 2024 Apalachee High School shooting, testified at the murder trial that she believed their son needed professional help for mental health concerns.
“It was very obvious that he needed some professional help, especially with anxiety,” Gray said in court. She added that Colin Gray “didn’t have much to say about it,” according to reporting by CNN.
Gray also testified that she repeatedly urged her husband to secure the firearms in their home or remove them entirely. However, she said the guns remained unsecured and that their son sometimes had access to them. Law enforcement had previously visited the family’s home after the FBI received a tip about a possible school shooting threat, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Prosecutors argue that Colin Gray should be held responsible for giving his son access to an AR-style rifle that authorities say was used in the attack. The shooting killed two students and two teachers and injured several others at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia, in September 2024.
Marcee Gray’s testimony gave jurors a closer look at the family’s struggles before the shooting, including concerns about their son’s mental health and access to firearms. Prosecutors say the warnings and signs should have prompted stronger action from Colin Gray. The trial is part of a growing number of cases in which parents face legal responsibility for a child’s role in a school shooting.
Featured Image: Marcee Gray testifies during the trial of Colin Gray in Winder, Georgia, on February 23, 2026. Mike Stewart-Pool