Text messages convinced a Michigan prosecutor to charge both parents of a teenager arrested for a high school shooting incident.
Oakland County prosecutor Karen D. McDonald charged James and Jennifer Crumbley with four felony counts of involuntary manslaughter. Their son, Ethan, allegedly killed four students and wounded seven others at Oxford High School, which has 1,600 enrolled students.
On the day of the shooting, the Crumbley family met with concerned school administrators after a teacher found a drawing Ethan made that frightened her so much she notified the office. The parents were shown the drawing, which their son had since altered by crossing out much of the disturbing words. The parents were told they were required to get their son into counseling within 48 hours.
Not long after he was returned to his classroom, with his backpack, Ethan Crumbley began his shooting rampage. But McDonald expressed concern about the parental behavior before that. She said she believes the tragedy was preventable if the parents had acted better.
A teacher spotted Ethan searching his mobile phone using the keyword “ammunition” the day before the shooting and was troubled enough to report it to administrators. After school officials left a voicemail informing Jennifer Crumbley of Ethan’s inappropriate internet search, they followed up with an email. The prosecutor said school officials received no response from either parent.
Jennifer Crumbley exchanged text messages about the incident with her son that day indicating she was aware of the school’s concern. “Lol. I’m not mad at you,” she texted, adding, “You have to learn not to get caught.” That text bothered the prosecutor.
Investigators learned the dad, James Crumbley, had purchased a 9mm SIG Sauer Model SP2022 from Acme Shooting Goods in Oxford, Michigan on Nov. 26. She added that a store employee confirmed that Ethan Crumbley was present with his father at the time of the purchase and that the father completed ATF form 5309A.
Tuesday, shortly after word of a shooting at the school began to spread, Ethan’s mother texted him again. A text from her at 1:22 p.m. simply said, “Ethan, don’t do it.”
“At 1:37 p.m., James Crumbley called 911, reporting that a gun was missing from his house and he believed his son may be the shooter,” McDonald revealed during a press conference, before noting further investigation revealed the 9mm gun used in the shooting was stored, unlocked, in a drawer in the parents’ bedroom.
McDonald said she believes in gun rights but feels even more strongly that such rights confer great responsibility.
“I want to be really clear that these charges are intended to hold individuals who contributed to this tragedy accountable and also send a message that gun owners have a responsibility,” McDonald said. “When they fail to uphold that responsibility, there are serious and criminal consequences.”
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