Apalachee High School shooting: Judge grants change of venue for Colt Gray trial
School shooting suspect Colt Gray enters the Barrow County Courthouse, Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, in Winder, Georgia. \ CBS
The trial of Colt Gray, the teenager accused in the deadly shooting at Apalachee High School, will be moved out of Barrow County after a judge ruled that extensive media coverage has made it impossible to seat a fair and impartial jury locally.
In an order filed Friday, Barrow County Superior Court Judge Nicholas Primm granted Gray’s motion for a change of venue, citing widespread local, statewide and national coverage of the case, including the recent trial of Gray’s father, Colin Gray, which was livestreamed daily.
“The nonstop coverage, coupled with the widespread pretrial publicity, makes it clear that a trial with Barrow County jurors would be inherently prejudicial,” Primm wrote in the order.
Neither prosecutors nor defense attorneys recommended a new location for the trial. The judge said he will consider potential venues, including Columbia County, and will consult with judges in other judicial circuits before selecting a new location.
The order comes days after a status hearing in which Primm indicated the case remains on track for a possible trial this fall.
A memorial to the shooting victims at Apalachee High School in Winder, Georgia, on Sept. 7, 2024. The Washington Post via Getty Images
According to a separate scheduling order filed Friday, prosecutors have already turned over all discovery currently in their possession and will continue providing additional materials, including telephone calls made from the youth detention center, as they become available.
The court ordered prosecutors to provide their witness list by Aug. 31, while the defense must turn over its witness list and any discovery by Sept. 11. All motions in the case must be filed by Aug. 28.
The case is tentatively scheduled for trial on Oct. 12.
The order also sets a July 15 deadline for Gray to notify the court if he intends to enter a guilty plea. If he chooses to enter a non-negotiated plea, a plea hearing would begin July 24 and continue into the following week if necessary.
Gray has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
He faces 55 counts, including malice murder, aggravated battery and aggravated assault, in connection with the Sept. 4, 2024, shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County that left four people dead and nine others injured.
Investigators allege Gray, who was 14 at the time, brought a semiautomatic rifle to school in his backpack, left class and opened fire in a classroom and hallway before surrendering to school resource officers.
The venue decision comes months after a jury convicted Colin Gray on 27 charges, including second-degree murder, involuntary manslaughter and cruelty to children, for his role in the case. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 28 and 29.
