Parents charged in shooting
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Started by metmike - Dec. 3, 2021, 7:06 p.m.


Manslaughter charges filed against parents of alleged shooter in Michigan school shooting; authorities search for couple

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/12/03/oxford-high-school-shooting-updates/8850669002/


DETROIT — Hours after a prosecutor filed involuntary manslaughter charges against the parents of the suspect in the Oxford High School shooting, authorities claimed they appeared to be fleeing from authorities.

Jennifer and James Crumbley were each charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter after the prosecutor said they bought the firearm for their son as a Christmas gift. Their 15-year-old son, Ethan, is accused of fatally shooting four students and injuring seven others at Oxford High School on Tuesday.

During a hearing that started around noon, a lieutenant with the Oakland County Sheriff's Office said the parents were not in custody. The Oakland County Fugitive Team, along with several agencies, were searching for the couple as of Friday afternoon. 

"The action of fleeing and ignoring their attorney certainly adds weight to the charges," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a release Friday. "They cannot run from their part in this tragedy."

"The facts of this case are so egregious," McDonald said.

Charges for parents of shooter rare, experts say:Michigan school shooting is 'so egregious,' the suspect's parents are charged.

Michigan school shooting suspect faces life in prison: What murder, terrorism charges mean

Crumbley was charged Wednesday as an adult with murder, terrorism and other crimes in what investigators described as a methodical and deliberate massacre.

When asked whether her office was looking into charges for any school officials, McDonald said the investigation was ongoing.

"While the shooter was the one who entered the high school and pulled the trigger, there are other individuals who contributed to the events on Nov. 30, and it's my intention to hold them accountable as well," she said. 

Here's what we know Friday:

Prosecutor: Gun was 'Christmas present'

At a news conference Friday, McDonald laid out how the suspect obtained the firearm and other warning signs in the days leading up to the shooting.

McDonald said the suspect was present when his dad purchased the 9mm Sig Sauer SP 2022 on Nov. 26. The same day, the suspect posted photos of the weapon online, calling it his "new beauty." His mom said in a post the following day, "Mom and son day testing out his new Christmas present," McDonald said.

"Clearly based on the statements of the shooter (and) the statements of mom, that was his gun," McDonald said.

Prosecutor: School officials knew shooting suspect searched online for ammo, made drawings

Suspect's drawing prompted worries on day of shooting

The 15-year-old suspect was also caught looking up ammunition online while at school before the shooting. McDonald said school officials contacted his mother about the online search, leaving a voicemail and email, but received no response. Crumbley's mother instead texted him the same day, "LOL I'm not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught," McDonald said.

Hours before the shooting, Crumbley was found with a disturbing drawing that included a drawing of a firearm and someone who appeared to be bleeding, McDonald said.

A teacher took a photo of the drawing, and Crumbley's parents were immediately contacted. When the drawing was brought to a school counselor with Crumbley and his parents present, Crumbley had altered it, McDonald said.

A counselor told the parents their son needed to get counseling, but Crumbley was able to return to class. His parents did not ask him about the firearm at that time nor did they search his backpack, McDonald said.

"Of course, he shouldn't have gone back to that classroom," McDonald added.

After reports of the shooting at the school, Jennifer Crumbley texted her son, "Ethan don't do it," McDonald said. James Crumbley drove home to search for the firearm and called 911 to report it missing, saying he believed his son was the shooter, McDonald said.

"I'm angry as a mother. I'm angry as the prosecutor. I'm angry as a person that lives in this county. I'm angry. There were a lot of things that could have been so simple to prevent," McDonald said.


Comments
By metmike - Dec. 3, 2021, 7:21 p.m.
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I grew up around 30 miles south of where this shooting took place(in a bigger city setting).

 The location of the shooting is actually a nice community, north of Detroit.......so this could have happened anywhere....more so in the suburbs and rural settings.

Mass school shootings mostly happening in small-town America

https://www.chicagotribune.com/nation-world/ct-mass-shootings-small-towns-20180521-story.html




By metmike - Dec. 3, 2021, 7:24 p.m.
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Some interesting data here:

10 years. 180 school shootings. 356 victims.

https://www.cnn.com/interactive/2019/07/us/ten-years-of-school-shootings-trnd/#storystart

By mcfarm - Dec. 3, 2021, 11:11 p.m.
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well this is a huge can of worms. What kid in this country did not receive his first gun from his parents? I would venture to say in middle America 90% or better got his/her first gun from their parents. Now are all parents good gun owners who treat guns with respect and teach their kids the right and wrong of gun ownership? Hardly. Kind of hard to prosecute this way but hey after all the tricks the gov of Mich pulled out the last couple of years who knows what goes in Mich. Confused on just why they would be fleeing if that is even true.

By metmike - Dec. 4, 2021, 2 a.m.
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So do you think the parents should be charged?

How about the school?

By 7475 - Dec. 4, 2021, 7:16 a.m.
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Oh NO metmike, none of the above. It is definitely the gun manufacturers who are  at fault here because you KNOW there would be no criminals if there were not any guns!

 Yepper, I'm predicting this argument will surface sooner or later.

By mcfarm - Dec. 4, 2021, 7:27 a.m.
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do not recognize the type of gun. Maybe that was the problem. Do not know.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=9+mm+sig+sauer+sp2022&form=IE10TR&src=IE10TR&pc=EUPP_ACJB  well here it is. Looks to be an ordinary 9mm pistol. Do  not think a kid his age needs such a gun and his parents are fools. But still, to prosecute them seems odd. I was thinking this story was more of a hunting or skeet type gun.

By metmike - Dec. 4, 2021, 8:05 a.m.
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So mcfarm, I have you down as the parents being fools but not being held criminally liable and John, you making political sarcasm jokes from a deadly mass shooting of children.


Mcfarm,

Thanks for looking up the gun for us.

By TimNew - Dec. 4, 2021, 8:17 a.m.
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What John is refernig to is the reality of the current gun debate.  I find it sad, at best, that the left never fails to capitalize on a tragedy to attempt to further a hopelessly flawed political ideology.


By metmike - Dec. 4, 2021, 10:25 a.m.
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Thanks Tim,

I'm well aware of what John meant.

I'm trying to have a sincere/serious discussion about who really is at fault(people) .......not blaming the gun and thought it would be appealing to gun advocates here.....and  ironically, YOU GUYS want to turn it into a discussion that features a  DEFENSE for gun (rights) control. 

edit: Added (rights) which is the opposite side of the gun control argument and the one that most here have.

By TimNew - Dec. 4, 2021, 11:38 a.m.
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I don't recal saying anything about defending gun control.  If I gave that impression,  I am sorry.  The kid is a minor, and a 9mm may not have been the best choice.  Not sure what the parents were thinking.   But as he was a minor and they supplied the weapon,  they bear some liability.

By metmike - Dec. 4, 2021, 12:51 p.m.
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"I don't recal saying anything about defending gun control."


So that I can better understand your position Tim, what is the political ideology that you were referring to below?

Thanks

Mike

" I find it sad, at best, that the left never fails to capitalize on a tragedy to attempt to further a hopelessly flawed political ideology."


By TimNew - Dec. 4, 2021, 1:26 p.m.
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I believe the lefts exploit these tragedies to futher their hopelessly flawed political idea of gun control  as a solution.


Does that clear it up?   I certainly did not mean that as an effort to  defend gun control.   Did you read it that way?

By metmike - Dec. 4, 2021, 2:35 p.m.
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Tim,  I understand EXACTLY where you are coming from now!

Thanks for repeating the same thing.........meaning that you meant it the first time.

By TimNew - Dec. 4, 2021, 10:31 p.m.
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Tim,  I understand EXACTLY where you are coming from now!

Thanks for repeating the same thing.........meaning that you meant it the first time.

OK.   I am really confused here.  You understood what I said,  and asked for clarification?

WTF MM.  What are you trying for here?


I said.

What John is refernig to is the reality of the current gun debate.  I find it sad, at best, that the left never fails to capitalize on a tragedy to attempt to further a hopelessly flawed political ideology.


You replied:

and  ironically, YOU GUYS want to turn it into a discussion that features a  DEFENSE for gun control.


And I attempted to clarify:

I believe the left exploits these tragedies to futher their hopelessly flawed political idea of gun control  as a solution.

And you replied with the above?


DUDE...  You're gettin scarey weird these days.  


By metmike - Dec. 5, 2021, 12:29 a.m.
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