A 15-year-old boy was charged with murder, terrorism and other crimes for a shooting that killed four fellow students and injured others at a Michigan high school.
Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald did not reveal a possible motive for Tuesday’s violence at Oxford High School and declined to comment when pressed about whether she believed the victims were specifically targeted. But she said the shooting was premediated, based in part on a “mountain of digital evidence” collected by police.
Ethan Crumbley is accused of firing a semi-automatic handgun in a school hallway, roughly 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Detroit. At least seven other people were injured.
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Crumbley was charged with murder, attempted murder and terrorism causing death. It wasn’t immediately known if he had an attorney who could comment.
The shooting should be a wakeup call for new gun laws in a country that has become “desensitized to school shootings,” McDonald told reporters.
Families grieve for the lost lives. (AP Photo)
“We have to do better,” McDonald said without offering specific changes. “How many times does this have to happen? How many times?” The charges were announced a few hours after investigators reported that a fourth student had died.
“What about all the children who ran, screaming, hiding under desks? … Those are victims, too, and so are their families and so is the community. The charge of terrorism reflects that,” the prosecutor said.
Deputies rushed to the school around lunchtime Tuesday and arrested Crumbley in a hallway within minutes of the shooting. His father bought the 9 mm Sig Sauer gun last week, according to the Oakland County sheriff.
McDonald strongly suggested that more charges will be filed.
“We are considering charges against both parents and we will be making a decision swiftly,” she said.
“Owning a gun means securing it properly and locking it and keeping the ammunition separate,” she said.
