On Tuesday, 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley shot and killed four fellow students and injured six more students and one teacher with his father’s handgun.

According to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, Ethan Crumbley used a handgun in the mass shooting purchased on Black Friday by his father, James Crumbley. James and Ethan Crumbley are pictured together in the Facebook photo below. The image was shared on Facebook on March 3, 2018.

James R. Crumbley and alleged school shooter son Ethan Crumbley
Jennifer and James Crumbley Facebook photo

Ethan posted photos of his father’s gun on social media only four days before the shooting. Ethan insinuates that the Sig Sauer 9mm (pictured below) belongs to him in his post. “Just got my new beauty today,” he wrote.

The 15-year-old will be tried as an adult and was charged with one count of terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to commit murder, and 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

“We’ve charged four counts of first-degree murder, which requires premeditation,” McDonald said. “And I am absolutely sure after reviewing the evidence that it wasn’t even a close call. It was absolutely premeditated.”

After the charges were announced, questions began to arise about how Ethan came into possession of the gun. Was the gun a gift for Ethan from his father, or did the gun belong to his father?

When Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced the charges against the 15-year-old high school sophomore, saying gun owners have a responsibility to secure their weapons.

Only moments ago, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced that four charges of involuntary manslaughter have been filed against Ethan’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley.

James and Jennifer Crumbley appear via Zoom for the arraignment of their son on December 1, 2021.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald announced the charges against James and Jennifer Crumbley in the video below.

McDonald explained:

“While the shooter was the one who entered the high school and pulled the trigger, there were other individuals who contributed to the events on November 30th, and it’s my intention to hold them accountable as well. It’s imperative we prevent this from happening again. No other parent or community should have to live through this nightmare.

I’ve shared previously, and I will reiterate today, that gun ownership is a right, and with that right comes great responsibility. Based on the information and evidence that we have received today, I am announcing charges against the parents, James and Jeniffer Crumbley. 

James Crumbley is charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, Jennifer Crumbley is also charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter.”

McDonald continued, explaining that an employee at the local gun store where James Crumbley purchased the handgun allegedly used the crime revealed that Ethan was with his dad when he purchased the gun from the gun store. She described Ethan Crumbley’s social media post where he bragged about his new handgun with a photo of the Sig Sauer 9mm his dad just purchased, only four days before the mass shooting.

McDonald also shared that Jennifer Crumbley’s social media post appears to confirm her son Ethan’s post about his new handgun, on November 21, 2021, “Mom and son day. Testing out his new Christmas present.”

McDonald explained how on November 21, 2021, a teacher at Oxford High School reported Ethan to school officials after she saw him searching “Ammo” on his phone during a class at Oxford High School. According to McDonald, school personnel sent Ethan’s mom, Jennifer, an email and voicemail about the incident. Mrs. Crumbley did not respond to either message. A text message has since been discovered from Jennifer Crumbley to her son Ethan in response to the school’s messages to her. The message read: “LOL, I’m not mad at you; you have to learn not to get caught.”

The Oakland Co. Prosecutor shared another disturbing discovery. “On November 30,21, the morning of the shooting, the next day, Ethan’s teacher came upon a note on Ethan’s desk that alarmed her to the point that she took a picture of it on her cell phone. The note contained the following: A drawing of a semi-automatic handgun pointing at the words:  ‘The thoughts won’t stop—Help me!’ In another section of the note was a drawing of a bullet, with the following words above the bullet, “Blood everywhere!”

Between the drawing of the gun and the bullet is a picture of the person who appears to be shot twice and bleeding. Below that drawing was a picture of a laughing emoji. Further down the drawing are the words, ‘My life is useless.’ and to the right of that are the words, ‘The world is dead!'”

As a result of that, James and Jennifer Crumbley were immediately summoned to the school. A school counselor came to the classroom, removed the shooter, and brought him to the office with his backpack. The counselor obtained the drawing, but the shooter had already altered it. The drawings of the gun and the bloody figure were scratched out along with the words, ‘Help me!’ and ‘My life is useless,’ ‘the world is dead,’ and ‘My life is over.'”

McDonald explained that James and Jennifer Crumbley, who were shown the drawing, were advised to take their son and get counseling for him. Both parents and to get counseling for him. McDonald explained that both parents left the school without their son. Ethan’s backpack was not examined by the parents or anyone at the school for the presence of the gun, which he had with him. Ethan returned to the classroom.

“When the news of the active shooter had been made public, Jennifer Crumbley texted to her son at 1:22 pm, ‘Ethan, don’t do it.’ At 1:37 pm, James Crumbley called 911, reporting that a gun was missing from his house, and he believed his son may be the shooter.”  It was later discovered that the gun was stored, unlocked in a drawer in James and Jennifer Crumbley’s bedroom.”

Watch the disturbing press conference here:

Mother posts on her account about her son’s Christmas gift. Father and son had bought guns together. During shooting, mother knows texts son and says, “don’t do it” (she knew). Anyway, the standard is “contributed” to homicide, and this is not a weak case.

 

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