Oxford High School Shooting
December 9, 2021
Sophomore Ethan Crumbley has been placed in police custody after police have deemed him the prime suspect in a school shooting that left three students dead.
Early morning on Tuesday Nov. 30, Crumbley opened fire at Oxford High School in Detroit, Michigan. The victims include Hana St. Juliana, 14; Tate Myre, 16; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; and Justin Shilling, 17. Eight other students and one teacher were injured during the shooting.
“My heart aches for families that will never be the same and a quiet, sweet community that had its innocence shattered,” Oakland County sheriff, Michael Bouchard, said.
Tate Myre was being taken to the hospital by sheriff deputies when he passed away in the squad car from his wounds.
“There was no time to wait,” Bouchard said. “He tried to load him into the car to get him as fast as he could to a hospital, and he expired in the car.”
Students had barricaded the classroom doors with desks and grabbed classroom items they could have used to defend themselves.
“I was in my biology room, just like laughing with a couple of my friends, and, just like a normal day,” Alysse Avey said. “Then I hear gunshots coming from close by, and my mood just switched, I went from laughing to crying in about a second.”
Much like several schools across the United States, Oxford High School had a safety protocol in place. A protocol that likely saved several students on Tuesday.
“We followed the protocols that we practiced, and everyone followed. No one talked, we didn’t scream or anything, we were just silent,” Avey said.
According to Oakland County officials, the sophomore opened fire after leaving a restroom. Although his motives are unknown, authorities say that the attacks were made seemingly random.
The 15-year-old was taken into custody within five minutes of the initial 911 call, and was disarmed upon apprehension.
The firearm Crumbley used was a 9-millimeter Sig Sauer semiautomatic pistol. The weapon had a 15-round magazine, which the suspect had two of.
He was said to have fired anywhere from 15-20 shots. Crumbley was reported to have obtained the gun from his father who had purchased the weapon four days prior.
As of Wednesday, the Crumbley was being held in juvenile jail under suicide watch. His parents did not let him speak to authorities and he invoked his right to remain silent.
As Michigan police investigate further into the boy’s recent activities, he awaits pending charges for murder of four and overall terrorism.
“I’m devastated for the students, teachers, staff and families of Oxford High School,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said via Twitter. “The death of multiple students and shooting of others, including a teacher, is horrific. My heart is with the parents who had their children taken from them and with the entire Oxford community.”
President Joe Biden also spoke about the shooting during a visit to Minnesota on Tuesday.
“My heart goes out to the families that are enduring the unimaginable grief of losing a loved one,” Biden said. “You’ve got to know that whole community has to be in a state of shock right now.”
According to Education Week, which keeps track of school shootings, this is shooting adds to the 27 others that have taken place this year.
Gov. Whitmer asked the people of Michigan and the community for support during what she considers a “uniquely American tragedy.”
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/12/01/us/school-shooting-michigan
https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2021/12/01/oxford-high-school-shooting-michigan-suspect/