Lions Coach Dan Campbell said, “Just as a starting point, we’re going to have T-shirts, we’ve got hats made, we’re going to have decals on the back of the helmets, “We’ll have a moment of silence before the game certainly, but those guys are on our minds. And so we want to represent them on Sunday. I know there’ll be a group of those students and kids and people that have been affected that’ll be watching this game. Right now, that’s the best way to help them.”
During the vigil in Downtown Oxford at 7p.m. there will be four minutes of bell ringing, one minute for each of the four victims of the school shooting attack, Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, and Justin Shilling.
Attorney Shannon Smith representing the couple stated, “The Crumbleys left town on the night of the tragic shooting for their own safety. They are not fleeing from law enforcement despite recent media reports.”
This comes after the Fugitive Apprehension Team began efforts to locate the couple after they did not show up to a scheduled arraignment at 4 p.m. on Friday.
According to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, the couple may be driving a black 2021 Kia Seltos SUV with the Michigan license plate number DQG 5203.
Sheriff Michael Bouchard stated, “We have our Fugitive Apprehension Team, the FBI and the U.S. Marshals Service and others actively looking for them and have every expectation we’ll have them in custody soon. They cannot run from their part in this tragedy.”
They are asking anyone with information about the whereabouts of James and Jennifer Crumbley to call the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office at (248)- 858-4911.
Authorities are currently searching for Jennifer and James Crumbley, who are missing after charges were announced against them earlier Friday.
This comes hours after charges of 4 counts of Involuntary Manslaughter were announced for both Jennifer and James Crumbley.
An arraignment was tentatively scheduled for 4 PM ET.
In the note was a drawing of a semiautomatic handgun pointing at the words ’the thoughts won’t stop, help me.’ Also included in the note was a drawing of a bullet with “blood everywhere” written above it.
Between the gun and the bullet is a drawing of a person who appears to have been shot twice and bleeding with a laughing emoji under it. The note also has “my life is useless” and “the world is dead” written on it.
Following the disturbing drawing, McDonald says his parents Jennifer and James Crumbley were immediately contacted to come to the school.
A school counselor removed Ethan from class with his backpack and obtained the note, but the drawings of the gun, bloody figure and writings were all “altered.”
During the meeting with school administrators, his parents were shown the drawing and were told they had to submit their son to counseling within 48 hours.
According to Prosecutor Karen McDonald, Ethan’s parents did not ask the whereabouts of the gun and did not inspect his backpack for the gun which he had with him at the time. His parents “resisted” the idea of taking Ethan out of school and left the school without him.
Once an active shooter was reported, McDonald says Ethan’s mom texted him, “Ethan, don’t do it”. Shortly after, his father reported his gun missing to authorities.
The school then attempted to contact his parents, but received no reply. Later the same day Jennifer Crumbley exchanged texts with Ethan stating, “LOL I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught.”
“James Crumbley purchased a Sig Sauer 9mm model SP 2022 from Acme Shooting Goods in Oxford, Michigan, on Nov. 26th, 2021. A store employee confirms that Ethan Crumbley was present with James at the time of the purchase,” McDonald announced.
Ethan’s mother, Jennifer Crumbley also posted about the gun on social media, calling it “his new Christmas present,” McDonald said.
“It’s been a devastating week for us,” McDonald said. “There are other individuals who contributed, … and it’s my intention to hold them accountable as well.”
The charges for James and Jennifer Crumbley stem from having purchased a gun for the teen in the days ahead of the deadly shooting.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald had said Thursday that the “actions on mom and dad’s behalf go far beyond negligence.
“She also stated, “You have a right to possess a gun, but with it comes responsibility,” she told a press conference. “Allowing it in the hands of somebody that shows signs that they may hurt somebody is not OK, and those people should be held accountable.”
“We have to do better,” McDonald said without offering specific changes. “How many times does this have to happen? How many times?”
“I will do everything I can to prosecute this case, ensure justice for victims and speak out for better gun laws,” she said.
McDonald also added that if Tuesday’s incident that left four children dead and multiple injured “isn’t enough to revisit our gun laws, I don’t know what is.”
During a court hearing before Crumbley’s arraignment, Oakland County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Tim Willis said there was evidence that Crumbley planned to carry out an attack at the school.
Willis said that while executing a search warrant, authorities recovered two videos from Crumbley’s phone in which he talks about “shooting and killing students the next day at Oxford High School.”
A journal was also recovered from Crumbley’s backpack that details his “desire to shoot up the school” and murder students, Willis said.
Crumbley’s defense attorney and Oakland County Prosecutor Marc Keast debated over the suspect’s transfer from a juvenile detention center to the Oakland County Jail due to him being charged as an adult.
The judge ultimately agreed to move him to the adult facility. The judge also stated that Crumbley would be in isolation and would not be in contact with adult inmates.
Due to the nature and severity of his charges the judge did not set a bond.
Crumbley’s next court date is December 3, 2021 for a probable cause conference.
This came swiftly after Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced his charges.
Among the attendees were his parents Mr. and Mrs. Crumbley who prosecutors are also currently considering for possible charges.
He said the school spoke with the suspect, Ethan Crumbley, the day before the shooting and had a “face-to-face” meeting with his parents the morning of the incident. He said Crumbley was present and “was released back to school from the meeting.”
According to Bouchard, this information was not relayed to the sheriff’s office before the shooting.
He added that the anti-bullying coordinator at the school “had no information” that the suspect was being bullied.
“There is nothing that he could have faced that would warrant senseless, absolutely brutal violence on other kids,” Bouchard said.
Later after the meeting, Bouchard said Crumbley went to the bathroom and came out shooting. He said Crumbley stayed in the hallway and never entered a classroom.
Officials believe Crumbley brought the gun into the school before the meeting, but they are still working to confirm the details. Bouchard said he does not believe the victims were specifically targeted.
Of the 7 others that are injured, 3 remain in the hospital. Sheriff Bouchard said this includes a 14-year-old girl who was in critical condition but is now stable, a 14-year-old boy who is in critical condition with a head wound, and a 17-year-old girl in critical condition with chest wounds.
The victims were transported to several different hospitals in the area including McLaren Lapeer, McLaren Oakland and St. Joe’s in Pontiac.
The sheriff said a wounded 14-year-old was placed on a ventilator after surgery: “It’s looking very tough for this young girl.” A hospital spokeswoman said Wednesday morning that the girl remained in critical condition but had no further updates.
A 47-year-old female teacher whose shoulder was grazed by a bullet was discharged from a hospital after treatment along with three other students who were injured were also treated and released.
Now authorities are swiftly seeking approval from a judge to transfer the teen suspect from the juvenile facility where is currently being held to the Oakland County jail.
He dispelled misinformation circulating online, including reporting on a viral TikTok video of Oxford High School students in a barricaded classroom.
He said the person knocking on the door was an officer, not the suspect.
Bouchard said the officer may have been in plain clothes and using a “conversational” tone to calm the students.
The person at the door was heard using the term “bro” when informing the students it was safe to leave the classroom. The students did not appear to trust the person at the door.
“We’re not taking that risk right now,” one person in the classroom said. Another student said the term “bro” was a “red flag.”
The students were eventually safely evacuated out of a classroom window by a teacher.
Bouchard added that that suspect “never knocked on a door” during the shooting.
After the suspect was taken into police custody Tuesday, his parents went to the jail and advised him not to speak to police.
The semi automatic handgun the suspect used in the deadly shooting at the school was purchased by his father on November 26.
She said she is confident that the evidence, including social media evidence, will show the suspect planned the attack “well before the incident.”
McDonald added that the charge of terrorism “is not a typical charge.” It was included for the children who were not killed or wounded, she said, but who ran away from the school, hid in barricaded classrooms and are traumatized from the incident.
“They are victims too,” she said.
15-year-old Ethan Crumbley could face life in prison since he will be charged as an adult.
According to students, Tate Myre, 16, played running back for the Oxford Wildcats football team. He was shot trying to disarm the shooter and later died from his injuries.
“Tate is not just a hero to his fellow students at Oxford high school but a legend, his act of bravery should be remembered forever and passed down through generations, he put his life in danger to try and help the thousands of other students at Oxford High School,” the change.org petition states.
The petition to rename Wildcat Stadium has over 56,000 signatures.
FULL STORY: Tate Myre: Students Want to Rename Oxford High School’s Stadium After Shooting ‘Hero’
Prosecutor Karen McDonald will provide an update regarding the ongoing investigation, including the charges against the suspect, her office said in a statement.
The press briefing will be held at 2 p.m. ET.
A statement released by Oxford Community Schools stated, “All schools in the district, including OELC, will be closed for the remainder of the week. The District crisis team is currently gathering to implement our response plan to support everyone in need in our school community.”
A crisis update on the school district website states, " As we grapple with the horrific tragedy in our school community all district schools will be closed for the remainder of the week. District families and staff, please see your email from OCS for details on available grief counseling. Please keep our school community in your thoughts and prayers throughout this most difficult time.”
According to local news outlet Fox 2 Detroit, the student has been identified as 17-year-old Justin Shilling.
A press conference from the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office is expected this afternoon.
The descriptions are according to the Alice Training Site.
ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown,Inform,Counter, and Evacuate.
Alert - “Alert is when you first become aware of a threat. The sooner you understand that you’re in danger, the sooner you can save yourself. A speedy response is critical. Seconds count,” the website reads.
Lockdown – “If evacuation is not a safe option, barricaded entry points into your room in an effort to create a semi-secure starting point.” Inform – “Communicate the violent intruder’s location and direction in real time.”
Counter – “Create Noise, Movement, Distance and Distraction with the intent of reducing the shooter’s ability to shoot accurately. Counter is NOT fighting.”
Evacuate – “When safe to do so, remove yourself from the danger zone.”
According to the school’s website the last ALICE drill occurred on October 7, 2021.
One is in serious condition and three others are listed as stable, according to WXYZ Detroit. The teacher who was wounded has already been discharged from the hospital.
The 15-year-old suspect, a sophomore at the school, was taken into custody by local authorities, who arrived within two minutes of the first 911 call. His weapon of choice, a SIG Sauer handgun, still had seven rounds of ammunition left in it when he was apprehended, according to Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard.
No motive for the shooting has been identified at this time.
The gun had reportedly been purchased four days prior to the shooting by the suspect’s father. Neither the suspect nor his family is cooperating with authorities, according to law enforcement.
The three victims, all students at Oxford, were identified as 16-year-old Tate Myre, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin, and 14-year-old Hanna St. Julian.
The eight additional injured victims were transported to the hospital. At least one of them, a teacher, has already been discharged.
Officials stated that the arraignment of the suspect could occur in the next few days. It is unknown whether or not his parents could face charges.
The timeline of events are included below.
Jody Job, the Oakland County Democratic Party Chair, confirmed that her son was a student at Oxford, and that she was familiar with a number of the victims.
“3 dead and others injured. Names of kids I know. I just can’t get over how truly sickening this is,” Job tweeted. “Robbed of their future. Their loved ones.”
“How utterly desolate our country seems to be when we continue to let these horrific tragedies occur and do nothing,” Job added.
Sheriff Michael Bouchard named the trio of victims as 16-year-old Tate Myre, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin, and 14-year-old Hanna St. Julian, the Detroit News confirmed.
Myre reportedly passed away in a police vehicle en route to being transported to the hospital, officials stated.
Bouchard identified the firearm as a 9 mm SIG Sauer handgun that had been bought on November 26, along with three ammunition magazines.
At the time the suspect was apprehended in the school, Bouchard stated that the handgun still had seven rounds in the chamber. He credited the quick action of law enforcement that prevented further carnage.
When asked if the father could face charges for the purchase of the gun, Bouchard told reporters that that would be left up to the prosecution.
Speaking during a press conference Tuesday, Bouchard stated that the ’events’ were in response to credible tips or threats that dispatchers had received. He did not give any specific details on these occurrences or whether or not they were firearm-related.
The sheriff reiterated that none of these three instances resulted in any violence similar to the Oxford shooting.
It was reported that hundreds of people attended at least three separate prayer services. One of the attendees was a student who had been shot during the attack and went to the vigil after being released from the hospital, according to the Detroit Free Press.
“This is the thing you read about on the news, that happens in other places,” mourner, Kim Kozel, told the Press. “I don’t think I’ve processed it yet.”
Attendees throughout the vigils lit candles from the same flame and tried to help the community come together.
“As we mourn alongside the Oxford community, the flags will be lowered across the state.” Gretchen reiterated on Twitter. “Please keep these families in your hearts, and hold your kids a little tighter tonight.”
She also echoed similar sentiments from an earlier press conference, calling the shooting “every parent’s worst nightmare.”
“We’re afraid of being shot,” tweeted the student-led March For Our Lives, founded in the aftermath of the 2018 Parkland shooting. “Every day we go to school. Every day we get on the bus or train. Every day we go to the park. Every day we live. We’re afraid of being shot.”
Shannon Watts, the founder of gun control coalition Moms Demand Action, tweeted a similar sentiment.
“This isn’t happening in any other high income country. No other nation would tolerate this,” Watts tweeted. “We don’t have to either.”
The parent group of Moms Demand Action, Everytown, also released a statement that was retweeted by the Democratic Party.
“Our hearts are with all those impacted by yet another act of horrific gun violence in this country,” the group tweeted. “Our kids shouldn’t have to fear being shot—at school, or anywhere else.”
The chart also notably listed murder by rifles, hands, and knives, but not handguns - the type of weapon used in Tuesday’s attack.
“This is proof that the CRIMINAL IS THE PROBLEM. Not the inanimate object,” the tweet continued.
Backlash came quickly on the platform, with many users responding that handguns were by far the leading cause of death among murder victims in the United States, with over 8,000 in 2020.
Undersheriff Michael McCabe stated that they were aware of the tactics used to bring the gun into the school, but did not want to make them public. “We know, but I’m not going to say that right now,” McCabe said.
While there is only one entry point into the school once classes start, the building does not have metal detectors, nor do they require bag searches. However, the size of students’ bags is limited.
Additionally, Superintendent Tim Thorne was unaware of the school having any prior discussions about installing metal detectors.
The information was relayed by Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe, who added that the unnamed 15-year-old suspect was the sole perpetrator in the attack that killed three people.
Additionally, the suspect has continually refused to cooperate with law enforcement, according to the sheriff’s office.
“This is a uniquely American problem that we need to address at this juncture,” Whitmer told reporters during an evening press conference.
Overcome with emotion, Whitmer then added that the shooting was “every parent’s worst nightmare.”
However, Whitmer also stated that it was not an appropriate time to talk about new gun control measures.
“I think it’s too early to talk about policies that may need to change as a result of this,” Whitmer said. “We’re relying on law enforcement to share information as it is available, but at this point, I think we need to focus on the tragedy.”
“We’re hearing all kinds of rumors about warning signs, but we are not aware of any warnings,” McCabe stated during a press conference, adding that he had faith that the school would have informed the police about any potential threats.
“If there were [prior threats], I’ve got to believe [the school] would have told us,” McCabe continued.
The undersheriff also urged people to not be gullible to shooting-related postings on social media, despite a number of rumors circulating online.
“There’s all kinds of stuff out on social media. Please don’t believe everything you hear,” McCabe added.
One social media post allegedly referred to the suspect telling people not to come to school on the day of the shooting, but law enforcement did not corroborate this as being true.
Classes will not take place tomorrow.
The undersheriff also stated that they did three sweeps through the high school to check for more victims.
There’s no update on when classes will resume at this time.
He said authorities are executing a search warrant at the suspect’s house and have talked with his parents.
McCabe added that the suspect’s parents went to the police station and told their son not to speak to investigators, as it’s his constitutional right.
Police need permission from parents to speak with a juvenile, McCabe added.
A total of 11 people were shot by the suspect, according to law enforcement. Of those 11, three people, all juveniles, were killed by the shooter.
The three deceased victims were a 16-year-old male, a 14-year-old female, and a 17-year-old female, officials said.
Among the eight that were injured, officials stated that six of them were in stable condition while the last two remained in surgery.
The sheriff stated that he would give an additional press conference at 10 p.m. ET Tuesday night as more information became available.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Biden was told about the shooting by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan ahead of his remarks at Dakota County Technical College in Minnesota Tuesday.
“The traveling team will remain in close touch with the team back at the White House and provide regular updates to the President as new information surfaces,” Psaki said.
During his speech, Biden expressed his condolences.
“My heart goes out to the families and the unimaginable grief they must be in from losing a loved one,” he said. “That whole community must be in a state of shock right now.”
Once school begins, there is only one point of entry that requires a person to be “buzzed in” to enter the building, WDIV reported.
Additionally, classrooms doors can be locked from the inside.
While the school does not check bags, the size of bags is limited.
Oxford Community Schools Superintendent Tim Thorne said he could not answer a reporter who asked why the school did not have metal detectors. He did not believe there had been discussions about metal detectors in the past.
Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe said authorities knew how the suspected shooter brought the weapon into the school but would not disclose that information to the public at this time.
While it is not confirmed by officials, the reporter believes some of the victims from the Oxford High School shooting were transported to this hospital.
The hospital was put on lockdown, meaning security officials at the trauma unit entrance are not allowing visitors into the building.
WDIV also reported that an FBI official was seen at the hospital.
Approximately 100 calls were made about the now deadly shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, a suburb about 40 miles north of Detroit.
Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McGabe stated “the whole thing lasted 5 minutes”.
McGabe added that the 15-year-old fired 15-20 shots during the incident. A semi-automatic hand gun was recovered and the suspect’s name still has not been released.
While this is an active investigation, McCabe believes the suspect acted alone and was not injured during the incident. Law enforcement officials are also still investigating a possible motive.
Officials said 25 law enforcement agencies responded to the incident and about 60 ambulances were employed.
Deputies apprehended the suspect within five minutes of receiving the 911 call.
McCabe said the suspect used a semi-automatic handgun to fire multiple shots in the school but there
Deputies are conducting a third search of the school to search for any remaining victims.
There are six other people wounded, including one teacher.
Law enforcement officials will hold a press conference at 2:45 p.m.
Students and faculty are “systematically” being evacuated from the school. Students who have their own means of transportation were allowed to leave on their own.
Other schools in the district were also put on lockdown, as per protocol. The district said other schools are not in any danger.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said they are conducting a secondary search for any additional victims.
“We have one suspected shooter is in custody along with a handgun,” McCabe said in an email. “We do not believe there are any other at this time.”
He said there are “multiple victims,” between four and six, but no confirmed fatalities at this time.
