Atlanta attorney answers legal questions surrounding Apalachee school shooting

A parent and a child walk near Apalachee High School after a deadly shooting on Sept. 4, 2024.
A parent and a child walk near Apalachee High School after a deadly shooting on Sept. 4, 2024. (Chamian Cruz/WABE)

The 14-year-old suspect in a shooting that killed four people at a Barrow County high school and his father are both facing murder charges.

The suspect, Colt Gray, is charged with felony murder, and the father, Colin Gray, is facing murder in the second degree, among other charges.

To explain the distinction and what it means for each of the defendants, Atlanta criminal defense attorney Amanda Clark Palmer spoke with WABE’s Emily Wu Pearson on “All Things Considered.”



Palmer said this case — where a minor and his father are both charged in a homicide committed by the juvenile — is one of the first of its kind in the state.

Christopher Alston contributed to this report.