A Michigan teen allegedly responsible for the deaths of four students and injuring others during the Oxford High School shooting is expected to plead guilty this week. Ethan Crumbley is due in court Monday where he faces over 24 charges which also include terrorism. The 16-year-old is expected to enter a guilty plea while his parents also face charges.
According to Fox2 Detroit, Oakland County’s chief-assistant prosecutor David Williams said that the defendant could likely plead guilty to his charges for the shooting incident at the school on Nov. 30, 2021. Crumbly has been in the custody of the Oakland County Jail since his arrest. The teen suspect reportedly had drawn violent images on a classroom assignment and was told to remain in school that day. He later pulled out a firearm from his backpack and began discharging the weapon.
On that fateful day, the school called Crumbly’s parents to discuss the rather disturbing words on his assignment, with the teacher discovering a drawing with a gun directly pointing at the words “The thoughts don’t stop. Help me.” Investigators said James and Jeniffer Crumbly agreed to get their son counseling however, the two refused to let him go home.
Authorities said Crumbley’s parents had an indirect hand in the events that took place that day by failing to address the child’s mental state. The parents had apparently bought him a gun when he was 15 and he used the same gun in the shooting.
Both his parents now face charges of involuntary manslaughter. Reports said this is a rather rare case, as prosecutors are trying to hold the shooter’s parents accountable. Some of the accusations include making a deadly weapon accessible for a person under the legal age to own a firearm as well as neglecting their child’s need for proper mental health care.
Prosecutors remarked that the parents created an environment for the child's violent tendencies to grow, despite having full knowledge of Crumbley’s mental issue. This only made matters worse for the troubled teen by purchasing a gun for him. The Crumblys dispute the lack of knowledge of their son’s intentions that day and argue that the gun was not as accessible to the teen as prosecutors suggest.
Crumbley was charged as an adult facing one count of terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of attempted murder and 12 counts related to use of a gun. Should he get a conviction, this will typically bring automatic life imprisonment. However, being a teenager, he is entitled to a hearing where his defense lawyer can argue for a shorter term with the possibility of parole.
