A 14-year-old boy has faced court for the first time charged with murdering two classmates and two teachers in a gun attack at a Georgia high school.
Colt Gray, a pupil at the school, was arrested shortly after the shooting on Wednesday at Apalachee High School in Winder, near Atlanta.
He was charged with four counts of first degree murder and will be tried as an adult, and appeared in court in person.
Wearing a green t-shirt, the suspect spoke very little other than to acknowledge that he understood the charges he faces. He did not enter a plea.
During Friday’s brief preliminary hearing, Judge Currie Mingledorff told the 14-year-old suspect that if convicted, his alleged crimes were punishable by death or life in prison, with or without parole.
Georgia is one of the US states that still carry out capital punishment.
However, Gray was called back by the judge after the hearing ended, to clarify that he would not face the death penalty due to being under 18.
The suspect’s lawyer did not request a bond.
Judge Mingledorff said that the suspect has a right to a “speedy and public trial by judge or jury”.
He also acknowledged heightened public interest in the case. Because of this, news cameras were allowed to record and livestream the hearing.
CNN reported that families of victims were seated in the first row of the court. One woman held a stuffed animal of a Disney character in her arms.
His father, Colin Gray, 54, was also arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter, second-degree murder and cruelty to children.
He is due to face court on Friday at 09:30 local time (14:30 BST).
Officials have accused the father of “allowing” his son to possess a weapon, and are investigating whether he gave him the AR-15 style rifle used in the shooting.
Georgia law allows suspects aged 13 and up to be prosecuted as adults depending on the crime, meaning Colt Gray will face a potentially more severe sentence than a minor if convicted.
Officials identified those killed as Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, and teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53.
