NewsTop StoryUS

Oxford school district faces two $100M suits after shootings

Oxford

After the issues Oxford High School was having with Ethan Crumbley came to light, it is glaringly clear that there were red flags all over the place concerning that kid, and counselors, and Oxford High administrators failed to adequately address the situation with both Ethan and his parents, now the district is facing two lawsuits concerning its failure to keep the school safe. James and Jennifer Crumbley failed to keep their newly purchased gun locked and secure, and they obviously failed miserably to teach any values to their son, one of the most important is that killing is wrong, but school officials also failed to step in and get help for an obviously troubled young man. As reported by the AP:

The two $100M lawsuits were filed in federal court in Detroit, attorney Geoffrey Fieger said Thursday

Two lawsuits seeking $100 million each have been filed against a Michigan school district, its superintendent, principal, and others after four students were fatally shot and others wounded at Oxford High School, a lawyer announced Thursday.

Handwritten messages are left at the memorial site at the memorial site on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 outside Oxford High School in Oxford, Mich., after a 15-year-old allegedly killed these four classmates, and injured seven others in a shooting inside the northern Oakland County school one week earlier. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)

The lawsuits were filed in federal court in Detroit, attorney Geoffrey Fieger said Thursday. They were filed on behalf of a student who was shot in the neck and wounded during the Nov. 30 shooting and her sister, who was next to her at the time of the shooting.

Named in the suits are the Oxford Community School District, Superintendent Timothy Throne, Oxford High School principal Steven Wolf, the dean of students, two counselors, two teachers and a staff member.

Photographs of four students —Hana St. Juliana, 14, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Tate Myre, 16 and Justin Shilling, 17 — sit among boquets of flowers, teddy bears and other personal items left at the memorial site on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2021 outside Oxford High School in Oxford, Mich., after a 15-year-old allegedly killed these four classmates, and injured seven others in a shooting inside the northern Oakland County school one week earlier. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)

The Associated Press sent an email Thursday seeking comment from the district.

Ten students and a teacher were shot at the school in Oxford Township, roughly 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of Detroit.

Ethan Crumbley, a 15-year-old sophomore at the school, was arrested at the school and has been charged as an adult with murder, terrorism, and other crimes. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley later were charged with involuntary manslaughter and arrested.

People gather alongside the Oxford community as they seek healing and comfort during a candlelight vigil Friday, Dec. 3, 2021 along Washington Street in downtown Oxford, Mich. A 15-year-old sophomore opened fire at his Michigan high school on Tuesday, killing four students, including a 16-year-old boy who died in a deputy’s patrol car on the way to a hospital, authorities said. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)

Personal-injury lawyers have expressed doubt that the school district could be successfully sued for letting Crumbley stay in school. That’s because Michigan law sets a high bar to wring liability out of public schools and other arms of government.

“You have to show that the administration or faculty members were grossly negligent, meaning they had a reckless disregard for whether an injury was likely to take place,” said attorney A. Vince Colella.

The gun used in the shooting was bought days before by James Crumbley and their son had full access to the gun used in the killings, prosecutors said.

Parents walk away with their kids from the Meijer’s parking lot, where many students gathered following an active shooter situation at Oxford High School, Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, in Oxford, Mich. Police took a suspected shooter into custody and there were multiple victims, the Oakland County Sheriff’s office said. (Eric Seals/Detroit Free Press via AP)

The morning before the shooting school officials met with Ethan Crumbley and his parents after the school after a teacher found a drawing of a gun, a bullet and a person who appeared to have been shot, along with messages stating, “My life is useless” and “The world is dead.”

The Crumbleys “flatly refused” to take their son home, Throne has said.

By COREY WILLIAMS

For more U.S. news

Previous Article
Parks in US get makeover after years of neglect
Next Article
Food waste becomes California’s newest challenge

How useful was this article?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating 0 / 5. Vote count: 0

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this article.

Latest News

Menu