A 16-year-old boy who carried out a fatal shooting at Apalachee High School in September 2024 was seen laughing during his murder sentencing hearing Friday as a survivor recounted the devastating impact of the attack.
Colt Gray, who was 14 when he killed four people and injured nine others, formally admitted to all 55 charges. A judge is now considering whether he will ever be eligible for parole. The plea mandates a minimum sentence of life in prison.
During the hearing, survivor Natalie Griffith described being shot twice and losing the ability to use her left hand. "After the shooting I lost my independence, I could not put on my own clothes or do my own hair, things that were easy for me became a challenge," Griffith told the court. When the judge asked her to slow down, Gray reportedly grinned and smiled.
Statements were also heard from family members of the victims: Mason Schermerhorn, 14, Christian Angulo, 14, Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53. Survivors also shared their experiences.
Colleague Taylor Brown recalled telling friends to call her brother after being shot, unsure if she would survive. "My friends were sitting with me, doing anything they could to help me stay awake," she said.
Another survivor, Hayden Bowen, testified about frequent panic attacks and a struggle with being alone since the shooting. However, she also expressed mercy, telling Gray, "I want to start off by saying I forgive you. Not for you, but for me and my peace."
Victim families urged the judge to sentence Gray to life without the possibility of parole. Aspinwall's widow stated that repeated parole hearings would retraumatize her, adding, "No sentence the court imposes can bring my husband back."
Angulo's brother described his family's grief, contrasting it with the defendant's family's ability to visit their son. "My mother (and) my father don't get that privilege. The only way to visit Christian now is by standing over his grave. There is no fairness in that reality," he said, advocating for a life sentence without parole.
Gray's upbringing, including his mother's struggles with addiction, was presented during the trial. His father, Colin Gray, was convicted in a separate trial on 29 counts, including second-degree murder and manslaughter, for gifting his son the AR-15 style rifle used in the attack. He is scheduled for sentencing next week.
Mason Schermerhorn's mother, Breanna Schermerhorn, told Gray that her son would have befriended him if he had given classmates a chance. "I want it to be very clear I do not forgive Mr Gray," she said, adding, "However I do know there are two truths which can exist at the same time. The adults in his young life failed him. But those decisions were his and his alone and because of his decision my Macey-Mace is gone."