Parents Of Michigan School Shooting Suspect Could Be Charged

On Tuesday, Nov. 30, a 15-year-old student at Oxford High School in suburban Detriot, opened fire on his fellow students. Four of them were shot and killed in the Michigan school shooting, and others were injured.

On Wednesday, Dec. 1, Ethan Crumbley 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 commission of a felony. Oakland prosecutor Karen McDonald says he will be tried as an adult.

Jennifer and James Crumbley, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, have officially been charged with four counts each of involuntary manslaughter.

James Crumbley purchased the 9mm Sig Sauer SP 2022 pistol used in Tuesday’s shooting on Black Friday, according to authorities. Ethan Crumbley was apparently with his father at the time of the purchase.

Authorities say Crumbley sent a text message to her son that said “LOL I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught.”

In a social media post that weekend, Jennifer Crumbley referred to the gun as their son’s “new Christmas present” in a social media post, McDonald said during a press conference Friday. She added that the gun was stored unlocked in a drawer in the parents’ bedroom.

“These charges are intended to hold the individuals who contributed to this tragedy accountable, and also send a message that gun owners have a responsibility. When they fail to uphold that responsibility, there are serious and criminal consequences,” McDonald said.

A teacher at Oxford High School had recently reported Ethan Crumbley after saw him using his phone to browse for ammunition. School officials left a voicemail and email for Jennifer Crumbley, who did not respond, according to McDonald. Authorities say Crumbley sent a text message to her son that said “LOL I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught.”

McDonald also says that on the morning of the shooting, one of Ethan Crumbley’s teachers found a drawing of a handgun, bullet and shooting victim on his desk with the words “the thoughts won’t stop, help me.”

School officials met with the Crumbleys to share their concerns about their son. The parents were told they would need to seek counseling for Ethan.

“I have tremendous compassion and empathy for parents who have children who are struggling and at risk for whatever reason,” McDonald said during Friday’s conference. “But the facts of this are so egregious.”

Disturbed, the teacher informed school authorities, who called both James and Jennifer Crumbley to the school, where they were told they would be required to seek counseling for their son. Both parents did not agree to have Ethan leave school at that time.

Ethan entered a school bathroom wearing a backpack, exited carrying the pistol, and began shooting just before 1 p.m. At 1:22 p.m., after learning an active shooter was at Oxford High School, authorities say Jennifer Crumbley texted her son, “Ethan, don’t do it.”

McDonald says neither parent asked their son if he had his gun with him, and failed to inspect his backpack for the gun—even after school officials informed them of the alarming picture he drew.

“I have tremendous compassion and empathy for parents who have children who are struggling and at risk for whatever reason,” McDonald said during Friday’s conference. “But the facts of this are so egregious.”

Earlier this week, prosecutors deliberated on charging the suspect’s parents for the role they allegedly played in the shooting.

“We know that owning a gun means securing it properly and locking it and keeping the ammunition separate and not allowing access to other individuals, particularly minors,” McDonald said at a Wednesday news conference, per Detroit Free Press. “We have to hold individuals accountable who don’t do that.”

Authorities recovered three 15-round magazines and say Crumbley fired at least 30 rounds inside the school.

After every mass shooting in the U.S., gun control takes center stage in the national dialogue. Due to the significant impact guns have on the health and well-being of children, the AAP wholly gun legislation and gun safety measures.

The AAP states, “Gun violence is a public health epidemic that is injuring and killing children at alarming rates. Any death from gun violence is one too many if it’s in your family or your community. We must implement common-sense solutions that have been proven to reduce these injuries and deaths.” You can read more about the AAP’s stance on gun control here.

This story was originally published on Dec. 2, 2021. It has been updated.