Hours after a fourth student, 17-year-old Justin Shilling, died from gunshot wounds sustained during a school shooting in Oxford, Michigan, prosecutors charged 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley with murder and terrorism, among other counts. Crumbley was charged as an adult.
Ethan Crumbley is being 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.
— Detroit Free Press (@freep) December 1, 2021
On Tuesday, Crumbley allegedly used a 9-mm semi-automatic handgun his father recently purchased to shoot eleven people, including three other fatalities: 16-year-old Tate Myre, 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, and 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin.
Crumbley reportedly posed with the gun in photos posted to social media.
“There is a mountain of digital evidence. Videotape, social media, all digital evidence possible,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald told reporters Wednesday afternoon (watch press conference above). She said the shooting was “not just an impulsive act” and she’s confident she can prove pre-meditation.
“We are considering charges against both parents,” McDonald added.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard says his office has learned of a meeting between the parents, the alleged gunman and school officials the morning of the shooting. CNN writes:
“In fact, the parents were brought in the morning of the shooting and had a face-to-face meeting with the school,” he said. The sheriff continued, “The content of that meeting obviously is part of the investigation, but we did not learn of that meeting, nor of the content of that meeting until after the shooting and during this investigation. “Bouchard added that the shooting suspect “was released back into the school from the meeting.”
Prosecutor Karen McDonald: ‘If the incident yesterday with 4 children being murdered … is not enough to revisit our gun laws, I don’t know what is’ pic.twitter.com/4xMylST59Y
— NowThis Impact (@nowthisimpact) December 1, 2021
NBC News provides more details:
The prosecutor said Crumbley was being charged with terrorism because of the people who had to flee and hide.
“What about all the other children who ran, screaming, hiding under desks? What about all the children at home right now who can’t eat and can’t sleep and can’t imagine a world where they can ever step foot back in that school. Those are victims too and so are their families and so is the community. And the charge of terrorism reflects that,” she said.
Authorities have not said what they believe led to the shooting, and McCabe said the suspect “invoked his right to not speak.”
Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the attack was “just absolutely cold-hearted murderous.” He added that his forensic team had recovered 30 bullet shell castings from the scene of the crime.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said “This is a time for Michiganders to come together for the Oxford community. We have to wrap our arms around this town that’s going through unimaginable pain and heartbreak.”
She said the country needs to address “the gun violence public health crisis.”
“We have to build a state where no one is afraid to go school, or work, or house of worship, or even their own home,” she added.
For more on the shooting read our previous coverage.