In a significant development, Ethan Crumbley, the Michigan teenager responsible for the tragic Oxford High School shooting in 2021, can be sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, as ruled by Judge Kwame Rowe. This decision comes after a series of hearings and testimonies that painted a chilling picture of the events leading up to and during the fateful day.
On the morning of November 30, 2021, 15-year-old Crumbley entered Oxford High School, attending morning classes and even meeting with a school counselor alongside his parents. Later that day, he retrieved a gun from his backpack and fatally shot four students: 16-year-olds Tate Myre and Justin Shilling, 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, and 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin. Seven others were injured in the rampage.
Crumbley's actions were premeditated, as evidenced by his meticulous planning. He had even placed toilet paper in his ears to protect his hearing before the shooting. He had researched the type of weapon he needed, dismissing the one his parents had previously bought for him in favor of a more powerful firearm with deadlier ammunition. He had practiced at a shooting range in preparation.
His defense, however, paints a picture of a deeply troubled young man. They argue that Crumbley showed signs of severe mental illness years before the shooting. Neither his parents nor school officials intervened or offered help. Furthermore, they believe he has the potential for rehabilitation. During the Miller hearing, defense attorney Paulette Loftin referred to expert testimonies, suggesting that Crumbley's "sick brain can be repaired."
Disturbing details emerged during the hearings. Crumbley had expressed a desire to be "famous" in notes discovered by investigators. He had no intention of committing suicide-by-cop, as he wanted to "witness the suffering he created." In a voice recording played in court, Crumbley referred to himself as a "demon" and rambled about the meaninglessness of school, college, work, and life in general. He had written about wanting to hear children's screams as he shot them and even expressed a desire to drown children or throw them off cliffs.
The responsibility of Crumbley's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, is also under scrutiny. They face four counts of involuntary manslaughter for allegedly purchasing the firearm used in the shooting for their son, which Jennifer Crumbley had mentioned in a social media post was a Christmas present. Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald emphasized that while Ethan Crumbley had pleaded guilty to the killings and terrorizing the school, his parents are charged for their negligence in buying the gun, not securing it safely, and their inaction upon seeing their son's disturbing drawings on the day of the shooting.
The sentencing hearing for Ethan Crumbley is scheduled for December 8.
