ALEX BLOG

On Feb. 28, after the sun sets, the rare phenomenon will occur, with six planets appearing to align and form a parade across the evening sky, according toNASA.

Usually, people can look up at the bright sky and spot at least one planet. Two or three planets are also commonly hanging out in the night sky, according to NASA. But what about when four, five, or even six planets are visible? Well, then it's what's known as a "planetary parade."

Six planets, Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus,and Jupiter, will be visible the night of Feb. 28, according to NASA. Seeing a parade of six or even seven planets is rare.

Of the six, five planets will be visible to the naked eye, Chelsea Gohd, outreach specialist for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, told USA TODAY in an email.  But binoculars or a telescope will be needed to view Uranus and Neptune.

The "planetary parade" will take place days before a total lunar eclipse, which will occur in the early morning of March 3. The light from the nearly full moon could affect visibility.

Here's what to know about when it will be visible.

Florida Atlantic University's Division of Research celebrates creativity with its annual "Art of Science" contest where research becomes stunning works of visual expression. Take a look at the mesmerizing images, starting with the competition's first place winner ...

FIRST PLACE: SELFIE ... CEPHIE. Octopuses have eight flexible appendages that can bend, shorten, elongate and twist in all directions due to their extensive nervous system and the complex arrangement of their arm musculature, which lack bones. Scientific SCUBA divers held their cameras close as the octopus tried to take a "cephie," or octopus selfie.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> SECOND PLACE: SEA TURTLE BEGINNING. Through a method called candling, a flashlight is held up against an egg in the dark to visualize embryonic development. The flipper outline of a developing loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) embryo is visible within its egg, along with the intricate network of extraembryonic blood vessels that sustain growth.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> THIRD PLACE: JOURNEY TO SPACE. This image sequence was captured at about 98,000 feet during the Aerospace Experimental Association's Mission 3, a high-altitude balloon launch conducted in fall 2024 at Florida Atlantic University. It shows the precise instant when the balloon ruptured at the edge of space, marking the transition from ascent to descent. The photograph was taken by a GoPro mounted at the top of the payload, facing upward.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> FACULTY IN THE FIELD: ROSETTE NEBULA. This shot is comprised of 1260 pictures totaling 10.5 hours of total imaging time. The Rosette Nebula is located approximately 5,200 light-years from Earth. It is a large cloud of ionized hydrogen gas. The vibrant red colors seen in images of the Rosette Nebula are primarily due to the emission of light from these hydrogen atoms. The nebula is estimated to have a diameter of about 130 light-years.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> FACULTY IN THE LAB: RADIANT ARCHITECTS. This confocal microscopy image captures radial glial cells in the zebrafish central nervous system, highlighting their unique morphology and critical role in neural development.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> STUDENT IN THE LAB: SKELETAL SECRETS. Coral reefs are crucial players for their marine ecosystems by protecting coastal areas, promoting biodiversity and providing a plethora of ecological benefits for cohabitating wildlife. This is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of P. astreoides at 120x magnification depicting the morphology and microstructures of its skeleton.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> STUDENT IN THE FIELD: TWO TO TANGO. Ever tried an activity like kayaking with a partner, only to discover that coordinating paddling is harder than it looks, and end up stuck in some mangroves?

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> TOP POSTDOC: SURVIVAL. Here, the C. elegans nematodes were left searching for more food, and instead of hiding their need, they etched their hunger into the agar, leaving behind an abstract pattern. What looks like art is actually survival - a biological request written in unexpected lines.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> TOP STAFF: ORCHARD ARCHITECTURE. This montage presents fruit in an entirely unique way - through the lens of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By capturing cross-sections with exquisite clarity and without invasive techniques, MRI reveals the hidden architecture of seeds, rinds and pulps in remarkable detail. What appears at first like abstract art is, in fact, the internal world of familiar produce, transformed into patterns of symmetry, texture and contrast.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: FACE OF DIGESTION. The picture shows a double-labeled of the fruit fly gut. Animals were genetically modified to add a fluorescent-tag (blue color) to an endogenous protein, which has been linked to metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. This allows for visualization and study expression differences of the protein in response to different diets, such as high sugar, high protein or no food. The specimen was also immunohistochemically labeled with antibodies against a structural gut protein (magenta color) to visualize the gut structure. Confocal microscopy was used to acquire images of each fluorescent label.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: HATCHET. A type of lime treefrog, the picture shows the distinctive "hatchet" face of Sphaenorhynchus lacteus. The picture was captured near the bank of the only known boiling river in the world, called Mayantuyacu, in a remote area of the central Peruvian Amazon.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: TRES LECHES. These are newly hatched Florida pompano (Trachinotus carolinus) larvae reared at the Florida Atlantic University Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute. At just 0 days post-hatch, they have only recently emerged from their eggs and represent the earliest stage of development for this coastal species.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: ORIGIN STORY. This image captures a developing zebrafish embryo, a powerful model for exploring how the nervous system takes shape. The image has been falsely colored for artistic effect, highlighting the intricate beauty of developing structures that guide our understanding of both healthy and disordered development.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: CONCH SUNSET. The FAU Queen Conch Lab has a partnership project with Blue Action Lab on Grand Bahama Island. The Mobile Labs are used to raise queen conch larvae to juvenile stage for conservation, restoration and education. The queen conch is important for the culture, nutrition, livelihood and coastal seas of countless communities in The Bahamas.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: WHERE BONE MEETS GOLD. False-colored SEM image of 3D-printed beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) for bone regeneration. Bone has an incredible, but limited, ability to repair itself. Traditionally, the gold standard treatment is bone transplantation from another healthy site in the same patient. However, this involves a second surgery, increasing the risk of complications and treatment costs. This image shows a synthetic alternative: 3D-printed β-TCP, a ceramic material with a calcium-phosphate composition similar to natural bone. The structure has a multi-scale interconnected porous architecture (350—1500µm) and fine supporting struts (230—550µm). The manufacturing of such complex geometry is only achievable through 3D printing, resulting in an implant that is both beautiful and functional. Over time, the β-TCP biodegrades and is naturally replaced by the patient's own bone.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: MAN-IN-THE-GROUND VINE. Man-in-the-ground vine (Ipomoea microdactyla) is state-listed as endangered. The photographer is researching flora and fauna native to Florida, with an emphasis on at-risk and endangered species. The subjects of the portraits are photographed within their natural habitats or at local conservation organizations. They range from a rare deep red morning glory found primarily in the pine rocklands of Miami-Dade County (man in the ground/Ipomoea microdactyla) to the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), which faces multiple threats, including habitat loss, light pollution and incidental capture by fisheries. The project merges artistic observation with ecological inquiry to reflect Florida's biodiversity.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: CRACKS THAT MEND. This image of a fallen tree reveals the story of time, struggle and survival. Each ring marks a year of growth, while the cracks running through the wood tell of storms weathered and pressures endured. Despite the breaks, the tree remains whole and offers shelter to new plants and moss along its edges. In many ways, this mirrors the human journey through mental health. Life leaves its marks, some visible and some hidden, but resilience is found in how we continue to grow around the fractures. Healing does not erase the cracks; it transforms them into part of our strength and story.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: METALLIC BLOOM. This image was captured using specialized imaging called High-Angle Annular Dark Field with a specific type of microscope called scanning transmission electron microscopy. It uses electrons instead of light to reveal structures far smaller than what regular microscopes can detect. The bright cluster shows nickel particles formed by heating chemicals to 170°C in a polyol liquid called ethylene glycol. The polyol acts like a chemical cooking medium, helping control how the nickel particles form and grow. Though the particles didn't grow on the salt crystal, the surface beneath them looks like one, creating the illusion of a metallic bloom. Each particle is merely a billionth of a meter wide, several times smaller than a grain of sand, yet together they form a branching pattern shaped by heat and chemistry.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: SONIC PORTRAIT. This artwork traces the acquisition of the Danish vowel /y/, as in hygge. Through repeated attempts, the speaker's pronunciation shifts — each spectrogram capturing a moment of articulation in transition. These four images are voiceprints: acoustic and visual records of a phoneme being learned. Subtle changes in formant structure reflect the fine motor adjustments of speech. The data were generated and analyzed using Praat, an open-source tool for phonetic research. Together, the images form a sonic portrait of a vowel, a study in adaptation, where speech and language takes shape through repetition and time.

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Winners of FAU's Art of Science competition take you under the sea and into outer space

Florida Atlantic University's Division of Research celebrates creativity with its annual "Art of Science" contest where research becomes stunning works of visual expression. Take a look at the mesmerizing images, starting with the competition's first place winner ...FIRST PLACE: SELFIE ... CEPHIE.Octopuses have eight flexible appendages that can bend, shorten, elongate and twist in all directions due to their extensive nervous system and the complex arrangement of their arm musculature, which lack bones. Scientific SCUBA divers held their cameras close as the octopus tried to take a "cephie," or octopus selfie.

What time is the 'planetary parade'?

According to NASA, the timing for the "planetary parade" indicates it will be visible in the evening of Feb. 28.

Gohd says that the six planets will be visible in the evening sky from Earth, just after the sun sets, for stargazers in the Northern Hemisphere.

"Saturn will be near the horizon, Venus and Mercury will be higher up in the sky and Jupiter will be up high in the sky near the Moon," Gohd stated. "Uranus and Neptune will be nearby Saturn, but will be harder to spot."

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More news:A total lunar eclipse is happening in March. Here's how to view it.

What will you be able to see during the 'planetary parade'?

• Mercury - Visible with the unaided eye, but stargazers will be able to see the planet more clearly with binoculars or a telescope.

• Venus - Visible with the unaided eye

• Neptune- A telescope or binoculars are needed to view the planet

• Saturn - Visible with the unaided eye

• Uranus - A telescope or binoculars are needed to view the planet

• Jupiter- Visible with the unaided eye

Stargazing apps, such as Stellarium or Sky Safari, can also help identify planets and constellations in the sky.

Check weather forecasts ahead of time to see if clouds might hinder your view. The moonlight and light pollution could affect the visibility of the "planetary parade".

For the best chance of seeing the "planetary parade", stargazers should move away from city lights and to a viewing location where the horizon is clear, according to Gohd.

What equipment do you need to view a 'planetary parade'?

Certain planets will only be visible with binoculars or a telescope.

Those interested in purchasing equipment should steer clear of telescopes that cost less than $500 and opt for Celestron, Robert Lunsford, the American Meteor Society's newsletter editor and fireball report coordinator, previously told USA TODAY.

He advises beginners to choose a telescope with a lens rather than a mirror, and for those seeking a more affordable option, he recommends binoculars.

Tips for viewing the 6-planet alignment

• Find a spot with a clear, unobstructed view of the horizon.

• Avoid light pollution and move away from cities.

• Have your binoculars or telescope ready to view planets that aren't visible to the naked eye

Stargazers should move "away from bright lights," according to Gohd. "Dark skies are best! And your view will be clearest if you're able to find a viewing location where the horizon is clear so you can see all of the planets from the horizon up through the night sky."

Also, be sure to pack mosquito repellent and dress appropriately for the weather in your area. Check the weather in advance to ensure the skies are clear.

Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers popular toys, scientific studies, natural disasters, space, and trending news. Connect with her onLinkedIn,X,Instagram, andTikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:What time do the planets align tonight? How to watch the 'parade'.

Germany is holding an emergency meeting Saturday to discuss the situation in Iran. The European Union is evacuating some staff from the region.

The U.S. and Israel launcheda major attackon targets across Iran and U.S. President Donald Trump called on the Iranian people to "take over your government" — an extraordinary appeal that suggested they could be seeking to end the country's theocracy after decades of tensions.

It was unclear whether U.S. allies were given any advance warning of the attacks. The German government said it was only given notice of the attacks Saturday morning. France's junior defense minister said France knew something would happen, but didn't know when.

Responding to the attack, the European Union's top diplomat called the conflict in the Middle East "perilous" and said she was working with Israeli and Arab officials to pursue a negotiated peace.

"Iran's regime has killed thousands. Its ballistic missile and nuclear programmes, along with support for terror groups, pose a serious threat to global security," said Kaja Kallas, foreign policy chief of the 27-nation bloc, in a post on social media.

"The EU is also coordinating closely with Arab partners to explore diplomatic paths."

She said the EU was evacuating some staff in the region while keeping in place a maritime mission in the Red Sea. The EU recently put fresh sanctions on Iran and leading figures, which prompted retaliatory sanctions by Tehran.

The German government said it was monitoring the situation in Iran, Israel and the wider Middle East region after being informed about the Israeli strikes on Saturday morning. The German government's crisis management team is scheduled to meet at noon to discuss the situation in Iran.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz was already consulting with ministers in charge of security, and with European partners.

The German government urged German citizens in Iran, Israel, and the wider region to sign up on the official registration system for citizens abroad and follow the instructions of the local authorities regarding the necessary measures for their own protection.

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France, whose military has bases and a regular presence in the Mideast, is calling on French citizens in the region to exercise extreme caution.

"A military escalation is underway. ... It's not the time for negotiations, we are in a situation of war," junior Defense Minister Alice Rufo told France-2 television Saturday, comparing the situation to what happened last June.

"Our priority is the protection of our citizens and protection of our forces in the region," she said.

Asked if French forces were involved in the U.S. and Israeli strikes or targeted in retaliatory strikes, French military spokesperson Col. Guillaume Vernet said Saturday: "The French armed forces continuously adapt their posture to threats and implement measures to ensure the surveillance and protection of military installations where French soldiers are deployed."

He would not elaborate.

"Our military presence guarantees France's independent assessment of the situation," he told the AP.

Italy's government urged Italians to exercise the utmost caution and follow instructions provided by its embassies in the region. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said the prime minister would be in contact with the region's allies and leaders within the next few hours to "support any initiative that may lead to a de-escalation of tensions."

"Italy reiterates its support to the Iranian civilian population, who courageously continue to demand respect for their civil and political rights," Meloni's office said.

Switzerland called for full respect of international law and urged "all parties to exercise maximum restraint, protect civilians and civilian infrastructure."

Angela Charlton in Paris, Sam McNeil in Brussels and Paolo Santalucia in Rome contributed to this report.

Explosions were observed in Tehran and at least five cities across the country, and Iran's military started retaliating against Israel, according to the Israel Defense Forces. There were also explosions and siren-alerts reported in several Middle East nations where the U.S. has military bases.

Here's what we know about this developing story.

The U.S. and Israel launched military strikes against Iran on Feb. 28. President Trump confirmed the operation in a televised address to the nation.

Pictured above, a plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on February 28 morning by AFP journalists, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the centre and east of the Iranian capital.

Israel's defence ministry announced it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and people across the country received phone alerts about an "extremely serious" threat.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> Smoke rises following an explosion after the U.S. and Israel reportedly launched an attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran, February 28, 2026, in this screen grab taken from video.

" style="max-width:100%; height:auto; border-radius:6px; margin:10px 0;" loading="lazy" /> U.S. President Donald Trump pumps his fist after disembarking Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., February 27, 2026. Hours later, Trump made live comments about the military strikes he launched against Iran.

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Military strikes underway by US and Israel against Iran. See photos

The U.S. and Israellaunched military strikes against Iranon Feb. 28. President Trump confirmed the operation in a televised address to the nation.Pictured above, a plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran on February 28, 2026. Two loud blasts were heard in Tehran on February 28 morning by AFP journalists, and two plumes of thick smoke were seen over the centre and east of the Iranian capital.Israel's defence ministry announced it had launched a "preemptive strike" on Iran as sirens sounded in Jerusalem and people across the country received phone alerts about an "extremely serious" threat.

US and Israel bomb Iran: How it started

The Pentagon has named the operation against Iran "Epic Fury." Israel's military codenamed it "Roaring Lion." Israel initially launched the operation and then was joined by the U.S. The explosions in Tehran were reported early in the morning Eastern Time on Feb. 28, which is mid-morning in Iran.

Within hours, Iran started sending missiles toward Israel and there were reports of attempted strikes against U.S. military facilities in Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar. Some nations said missiles were intercepted.

The number of casualties from the attacks and reprisals was not immediately known. The United Arab Emirates' defense ministry reported one civilian there was killed by falling debris.

Maps and graphics:US, Israel launch first of 'major combat operations' against Iran

What does Trump want to achieve in Iran?

The White House has been ramping up the pressure on Iran for months. Trump has at times said he was displeased with the way Iran's authoritiesviolently cracked down on protestersin December last year. He also said he wants Iran to agree to a new deal on its nuclear program. Trump said on Feb. 27 that he was "not happy" with the way attempts to solve the issue diplomatically were processing.

Still, some national security experts have questioned Trump's strategic logic for attacking Iran. Israel's case may be more clear-cut: The country has long viewed Iran as an existential threat because of its repeated threats to annihilate Israel. Trump also claimed that as a result of an earlier attack on Iran, the U.S. had destroyed Iran's nuclear facilities.

"Trump seems interested, in no particular order, in demonstrating the prowess of the U.S. military, strengthening his negotiating position, showing he was serious when he vowed in a January Truth Social post to protect Iranian protesters, and differentiating his approach from President Barack Obama's," Nate Swanson, a former White House adviser on Iran, wrote in a Feb. 24 article forForeign Affairs magazine, referring to a 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and other world powers. That agreement was negotiated by the Obama administration.

"This mishmash of objectives ... will make him less prepared if a strike does not yield the expected, swift capitulation," wrote Swanson.

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Iran's leadership: Where are they?

Some of the areas in Tehran targeted by the U.S. and Israel were places linked to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and President Masoud Pezeshkian. Iranian state media said the president and Iran's foreign minister were accounted for and safe. It did not offer any information about the whereabouts of Khamenei.

'Midnight Hammer': An earlier attack on Iran?

In June 2025, Trump authorizedmilitary strikes against Iran's nuclear programas part of a war Israel, a close U.S. ally, fought with Iran over its support for the militant group Hamas in Gaza. It lasted for 12 days. The White House said at the time that the strikes completely eliminated Iran's nuclear program.

The operation was codenamed "Midnight Hammer."

It involved 125 America military aircraft and targeted three nuclear facilities at Fordo, Natanz and Isfahan. "Obliteration is an accurate term," Trump said of the bombings. No U.S. personnel were injured in the operation, which struck Iran well after midnight on June 22, 2025, local time. Iran launched drone and missile attacks against Israel a few days later, then chose to de-escalate.

Iran attack: What happens now?

Iran analysts have expressed concern that the attack could spill over into a wider regional war.

"Let's be clear: This could have catastrophic consequences," said Trita Parsi, the co-founder and executive director of the the Quincy Institute, a Washington, DC-based think tank.

Parsi said that this would "not only put countless U.S. troops in the Middle East in the line of fire, but risk a massive multi-front expansion of the war and other uncontrollable chaos, from state failure and civil war to ethnic conflict that spreads through the region."

Whether that happens remains to be seen. The U.S. has said the operation could last several days.

Other Iran specialists have cautioned that if Trump is able to force Iran into a new deal over its nuclear program, it may not improve on the one negotiated by the Obama administration. That agreement limited Iran's uranium enrichment capabilities and was widely regarded to be working when Trump pulled the U.S. out of it during his first term. However, the JCPOA, as that deal was called, did not address Iran's ballistic missile program or its support for regional militant groups.

Trump said the U.S. would "destroy" Iran's missiles, "annihilate" its navy and ensure proxy groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas are no longer able to destabilize the region. "And we will ensure that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon," he said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Why did the US attack Iran? What we know so far

They went to his second period math class but learned he had gone to the bathroom. There, they found a student named Kolton Gray and brought him to the office for questioning.

Minutes later, Colt Gray began shooting.

The bizarre, unfortunate name mix-up was revealed in its full extent this week at thetrial of Colin Gray, the father of the school shooter, on charges of murder and manslaughter.

The shooting at Apalachee High in Winder, Georgia, on September 4, 2024, left four people dead and nine injured. Colt Gray surrendered to police and hasadmitted to the shooting, according to authorities. Now 16, he has pleaded not guilty to55 felony counts, including four counts of malice murder. A trial date has not been set.

Colin Gray, the teen's father, haspleaded not guiltyto charges of murder and manslaughter. Prosecutors say he acted recklessly by buying his son the rifle as a Christmas gift and allowing him access to it despite previous warnings that his son was a danger to others. His defense has said he was unaware his son was planning the shooting and had taken steps to try to get him help.

The trial has primarily focused on what the father knew about his troubled son and what he did with that knowledge before the attack. But it has also featured dozens of witnesses who have offered key testimony about the day of the attack and the "what-if" moments in which police nearly stopped it before it started.

In particular, the testimony revealed Colt Gray's alarming actions and statements prior to the attack: the school's efforts to locate him that day, the confusion with a similarly named student, and finally the horrific shooting itself.

Here's a closer look at what we now know about the shooting based on trial testimony so far:

Red flags were raised

On the morning of September 4, 2024, Colt's comments and actions raised multiple red flags.

In his first period class, Colt asked his teacher, Suzanne Harris, if the school had done any active shooter drills, she testified.

"It was a little bit alarming, and I did send an email to the counselor in regards to that," Harris testified.

She noticed Colt was carrying a backpack with a large poster sticking out of the top of it. Shortly after Colt left her classroom, Harris told an administrator she thought he had a gun. "I felt in every fiber of my being that something was wrong," she testified.

The poster, reading "Happy Mama's Day," was wrapped around the part of the firearm that stuck out of the top of the backpack, according to trial evidence.

At 9:40 a.m., Colt sent several concerning texts to his father that alarmed him, according to phone records.

"I'm sorry," he wrote to his father. "It's not ur fault." Colin Gray, at his construction job, texted him what was wrong, but the teen didn't respond, text evidence shows.

Colin Gray then called his estranged wife, Marcee, who called the school guidance counselor, Lisa Butler, at 9:50 a.m. to ask them to check on Colt. Toward the end of that conversation, she told Butler Colt had access to a firearm and had an obsession with school shooters, alarming the counselor, Butler testified.

Butler relayed the information to Deigh Martin, the assistant principal at Apalachee. Martin and two school resource officers were already searching for Colt Gray based on the teacher's concerns about his backpack and questions about active shooter training, she testified.

Colt Gray vs. Kolton Gray

Martin and the officers then went to locate Colt but failed to find him due to a stranger-than-fiction mix-up: another student in the same class was named Kolton Gray.

At 9:53 a.m., Colt Gray took his backpack and left his second period classroom. His teacher, Katherine Greer, testified he asked to go see a crisis counselor, and she allowed him to do so.

But instead, Colt took his bag and the weapon inside to the bathroom. There, he texted his mother, "I'm sorry," and texted his father, "ur not to blame for any of it."

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At 10:03 a.m., Kolton Gray – seated in the desk next to Colt – got up from his desk and also went to the bathroom.

At 10:06 a.m., Martin entered the classroom looking for Colt Gray but instead took Kolton Gray's backpack from the room. A minute later, the two school resource officers entered a nearby bathroom looking for Colt Gray but instead located Kolton Gray and took him to the office for questioning.

Martin testified they soon realized they had the wrong student and wrong backpack because of their similar names. "We kinda knew that was the mix-up," she said.

One explanation for the mix-up was that Colt Gray had only attended a few days of school at that point, and school employees did not know what he looked like.

He did not enroll in any school – online or otherwise – for his entire eighth grade year, school records showed. He missed the first two weeks of his freshman year at Apalachee High, and after that missed more days than he attended leading up to the day of the shooting. His student photo on file with the school was from years prior, so they did not know what he looked like.

"There was confusion in regards to the name and there was also confusion in regards to Colt Gray himself because he had not been at the school for an extended period of time," Georgia Bureau of Investigation agent Lucas Beyer said. "He was lesser known than Kolton Gray was."

Unable to find Colt Gray, Martin said she went to look at the school security cameras to try to figure out what he looked like.

Meanwhile, Colt Gray remained behind in the bathroom, surveillance video shows. He left the bathroom at 10:21 a.m. wearing yellow gloves, walked toward his classroom and removed the firearm from his backpack, the video shows.

Denied entry into his class

A female student looked out the door window and saw Colt Gray armed. She alerted Greer, who immediately pressed the emergency button on her badge, locking down the school.

At 10:22 a.m., unable to enter his own classroom, Colt Gray went to Cassandra Ryan's nearby algebra class, took three to four steps inside and opened fire for about 10 to 12 seconds, Beyer said.

"There was gunfire that started happening, and I could feel debris and bullets going over my head," Ryan said.

Christian Angulo, a student in the class, was killed, and several otherstudents were wounded by gunfire.

Colt Gray then left the class and walked down the hallway, where he fatally shot teachers Cristina Irimie and Richard Aspinwall and wounded another teacher, David Phenix, according to Beyer. He then fatally shot Mason Schermerhorn, a student who had come out of a bathroom.

School resource officersBrandon King and Chase Boydhad been searching for Gray when they heard the sound of gunshots, they testified. They sprinted toward the sound and came to a hazy and backlit hallway with limited visibility, they said.

King saw the outlines of a person standing and loudly said, "Show me your f***ing hands," he testified. The person immediately got on the ground, lay down in the prone position and put his arms out, he testified.

Boyd then put the shooter, Colt Gray, in handcuffs. A rifle sat next to him, and magazines were located on his body, he testified.

'I knew it,' father says

Meanwhile, Colin Gray texted his son at 10:23 a.m. – moments after his son had opened fire – and 10:27 a.m., asking him to call and saying he would take the teen out of school, text records show. Colt did not respond.

At 10:55 a.m., Colin Gray's daughter Jenni texted him, "I'm scared," and the father responded, "It's going to be ok." She said people had been killed at the high school, and Colin Gray asked how she knew that and whether she had spoken to Colt that day.

Colin Gray left his construction job at 11:18 a.m. and drove home, arriving at 12:27 p.m., where he saw the Sig Sauer firearm was not in Colt's room. Police arrived at the home five minutes later to question him, according to body-camera footage.

"God. I knew it," he said when they arrived, according to police body-camera footage. "My little girl just texted me – she's in middle school – she said, 'We're in lockdown.' I'm like, 'God almighty, please tell me your brother didn't do something.'"

CNN's Nicki Brown, Isabel Rosales, Maxime Tamsett, Chris Youd and Sabrina Castro contributed to this report.

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It's an argument he also made in hisState of the Union addressTuesday night.

However, that assertion is not backed up by US intelligence, sources told CNN.

It was one of several claims about threats from Iran made publicly by the Trump administration in the lead up to Saturday's strikes.

Anunclassified assessmentfrom the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) from 2025 said that Iran could develop a "militarily-viable" intercontinental ballistic missile by 2035 "should Tehran decide to pursue the capability."

According to two sources, the claim that Iran will soon have a missile capable of hitting the US is not backed up by intelligence — there is no intelligence to suggest that Iran is pursuing an ICBM program to hit the US at this time, the sources said.

Iran does, however, possess short range ballistic missiles that could threaten US bases and personnel in the region, as the administration has warned.

Three sources told CNN there has been no change in recent assessments about Iran's intercontinental ballistic missile aspirations.

White House spokesperson Anna Kelly responded to CNN's reporting, saying "President Trump is absolutely right to highlight the grave concern posed by Iran, a country that chants 'death to America,' possessing intercontinental ballistic missiles."

The matter of Iranian missile technology did not come up in a briefing with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and the "Gang of Eight" congressional leaders this week, sources familiar with the briefing said.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview released this week that his country was not developing long-range missiles.

"We have deliberately limited the range of our missiles to 2,000 kilometers," he told India Today TV, saying the missiles were for defense.

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The State Department referred CNN to remarks Rubio made Wednesday.

Pressed on Trump's claim that Iran could "soon" have missiles that could reach the US, Rubio said he would not speculate "as to how far away they are," but said Iran is "certainly" trying to achieve intercontinental ballistic missiles.

"You've seen them increasing the range of the missiles they have now, and clearly they are headed in the pathway to one day being able to develop weapons that could reach the continental US," he told reporters at a press conference in St. Kitts Wednesday.

He argued that Iran's refusal to discuss its ballistic missile program in negotiations that had been underway between the US and Iran in recent weeks is "a big problem." The rounds of discussions between Washington and Tehran have, so far, only focused on nuclear issues.

Asked about the DIA report on Iranian intercontinental ballistic missile development, Rubio said, "I won't comment on assessments or anything that the Intelligence Community says. Suffice it to say that it's a threat. We can see that it's possible."

"Beyond just the nuclear program they possess these conventional weapons that are solely designed to attack America and attack Americans, if they so choose to do so. These things have to be addressed," the top US diplomat said.

On the nuclear program, Rubio acknowledged that Iran is "not enriching right now," but said "they're trying to get to the point where they ultimately can."

However, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff – one of two main US negotiators – claimed in an interview released last Saturday that Iran was "probably a week away from having industrial-grade bombmaking material." That claim came despite the Trump administration's repeated assertions that the US had "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program in military strikes last year.

According to a source, intelligence shows that Iran is actively trying to build back its enrichment capability, including installing additional centrifuges, getting back online centrifuges that survived military strikes last year, and rebuilding facilities - many of which were damaged or destroyed - needed to weaponize the enriched uranium.

However, sources and experts say that work would take far longer than a week. And, according to a source, the work to build back the nuclear program is happening in places that are not likely to be impacted by military strikes.

CNN's Alejandra Jaramillo contributed to this report

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