Oxford high school shooting victims

Michigan School Shooting Suspect to be Charged as Adult

  • By Matt Jones
  • Dec 03, 2021

According to national news sources, the Michigan teenager accused of killing four students and injuring six others at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, Mich., on Tuesday will be charged as an adult. Ethan Crumbley, 15, faces two dozen charges including murder, attempted murder and terrorism. The motive for the attack has not yet surfaced, but prosecutor Karen McDonald said that there is a “mountain of digital evidence” suggesting that the shooting was premeditated.

McDonald also suggested that the teenage suspect’s parents would be charged in connection with the event. The Washington Post reports that Crumbley’s father purchased the semiautomatic handgun used in the shooting on Friday, Nov. 26, just four days before the attack. The details of how the teenager obtained the weapon are not yet clear, but McDonald stressed the importance of responsible gun ownership, especially around minors.

Oxford high school shooting victims
Four students were killed during the shooting at Oxford High School on Tuesday, Nov. 30: Hana St. Juliana, 14, top left; Justin Shilling, 17, top right; Tate Myre, 16, bottom left; and Madisyn Baldwin, 17, bottom right

“Owning a gun means securing it properly and locking it and keeping the ammunition separate. Those who do not do that should and will be held accountable,” said McDonald. “We have to do better. How many times does this have to happen? How many times?”

The Associated Press reports that Crumbley’s parents were called into the school on Tuesday, Nov. 30, just hours before the attack took place. Sheriff Mike Bouchard told parents the meeting was in reference to “behavior in the classroom that was concerning.”

Lt. Tim Willis of the sheriff’s office also said that investigators uncovered a video that Crumbley had recorded the night before “in which he discussed killing students.”

“This was not just an impulsive act,” said McDonald.

Oxford High School, located about 30 miles north of Detroit, Mich., is closed for the remainder of the week. Other districts around the metropolitan area either cancelled classes or increased police presence on campus in response to threats circulating on social media.

Crumbley was arraigned in district court on Wednesday afternoon, where he was charged with one count of terrorism causing death; four counts of first-degree murder; seven counts of assault with intent to murder; and 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. The teenager attended the arraignment via video from a juvenile detention center and remained silent. District Court Judge Nancy Carniak entered a plea of not guilty to all charges on Crumbley’s behalf. The teen was denied bond.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

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