Ethan Crumbley: Oxford High School shooter sentenced to life in prison for massacre that claimed four lives

DETROIT, MICHIGAN: A Michigan teenager has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for fatally gunning down four students during a 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford, multiple reports state. 

In 2022, Ethan Crumbley entered a guilty plea for 24 charges, including terrorism, as stated by David Williams, the chief assistant prosecutor in Oakland County.

Previously, he had intended to use an insanity defense, as indicated in a court document filed earlier in the same year.

Seven other people were injured

Tragically, the attack claimed the lives of four teenagers, and seven others, including a teacher, sustained injuries.

The four individuals who lost their lives as a result of the shooting were identified as Hana St Juliana, aged 14, Tate Myre, aged 16, Justin Shilling, aged 17, and Madisyn Baldwin, aged 17.

During the court proceedings on Friday, December 8, family members and survivors conveyed the profound grief that has consumed their lives since the tragic shooting.

What did the victims' family members say?

"If you were that lonely, that miserable, that lost, and you really needed a friend, Justin would've been your friend, if you had only asked him," Shilling’s mother Jill Soave told the shooter, according to CNN. 

Nicole Beausoleil, Baldwin's mother, expressed that upon learning about her daughter, she "felt every scream that came from my body," emphasizing that it should have shattered the glass pane separating her from her daughter's body.

Survivor Molly Darnell declared, "I will continue to live a life full of the human experience because I am the writer of my own story."

What charges did the gunman face?

At the age of 15 at the time of the incident, the gunman faced charges as an adult, including one count of terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder, and 12 counts of possession of a firearm.

During the arraignment, authorities discovered two videos on the suspect's cell phone in which he discussed shooting and killing his schoolmates.

Additionally, a journal found in the suspect's backpack outlined detailed plans for a school shooting, as reported by the outlet.

The Detroit Free Press reported that the shooter's lawyer sought a 25-40 year sentence with the possibility of eventual release, citing his age and mental health concerns.

However, Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Kwame Rowe, earlier in the year, stated that the chances of the shooter being rehabilitated were "slim" and noted the lack of any expressed interest in change on the part of the shooter.

Crumbley's parents were also arrested

Crumbley's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were also arrested after the shooting and charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Both individuals have entered pleas of not guilty. In October, a court rejected an appeal from the couple, affirming that they will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter.