The parents of Ethan Crumbley, 15, were arrested in Detroit after allegedly hiding out in a warehouse as police searched for them. Both James and Jennifer Crumbley face involuntary manslaughter charges. The police are suggesting that they were assisted in their alleged flight and may charge third parties. There was a $10,000 reward posted for their arrests. The question now is whether the involuntary manslaughter charges will survive challenges at the trial or appellate levels.
The attorney for the Crumbleys reportedly said that they were not fleeing, though there will have to be some explanation why, if true, they were found in a warehouse near the Canadian border.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald on Friday announced that each of the parents will face four counts of involuntary manslaughter. Each count could carry a 15 year sentence, though they would likely run concurrently if the parents are convicted and sentenced.
If the reported facts are correct, there was ample evidence of negligence. First, the police allege that the parents purchased the gun for their son. Under Michigan law, Ethan Crumbley was not allowed to own a gun until he was 18. Yet, on the day of the purchase on “Black Friday,” Jennifer Crumbley reportedly posted on social media, writing, “Mom and son day testing out his new Christmas present.”
Ethan posted photos of the gun on social media, writing, “Just got my new beauty today” and adding a heart emoji.
The police also say that the Crumbleys kept the gun in an unlocked drawer in their bedroom.
On Nov. 29, the parents were called about Ethan searching for ammunition on his phone. Jennifer Crumbley sent him a text saying “LOL I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught.” That can be dismissed as a kid obsessed with a new gun. However, what followed should have removed any doubt of a more troubling context.
Later Ethan was seen drawing disturbing images including a drawing of a semi-automatic handgun pointing at the words, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” Other images showed victims and blood with such statements as “My life is useless” and “The world is dead.”
The parents left Ethan in school after their meeting on Nov. 30. After the shooting was reported, Jennifer Crumbley sent a text message to her son after news of the school shooting became public, writing, “Ethan don’t do it.” A little while later, James Crumbley called 911 and reported that a gun was missing from his house, and that he believed his son may be the shooter at Oxford High School.
That is all, if true, incredibly negligent, but does it amount to negligent homicide?
Under the state provisions for manslaughter (750.321 and 750.322), the crime does not require malice aforethought.
The state must prove that the Crumbleys caused the death of the deceased victim, that the deceased individual died as a result of their actions by (1) intending to kill the victim, (2) intending to do great bodily harm to the victim, or (3) creating a situation where the risk of great bodily harm or death was very high, knowing that as a result of the defendant’s actions he or she knew that serious harm or death would likely result. The prosecutors must also show that the defendant caused the death of the victim without justification or lawful excuse.
It is obviously the third option that is the likely basis for these charges.
However, the charge seems a workaround of the fact that Michigan opted not to enact a child access prevention law. The purchase of the gun could be explained as a promise that he would eventually receive the gun when he was 18 but that, until then, it would remain under their control. Children are allowed to use guns in the state under parental supervision.
The key question is whether this level of negligence is sufficient to create a situation where the risk of great bodily harm or death was very high, knowing that as a result of the defendant’s actions he or she knew that serious harm or death would likely result. The fact that they left the gun in an unlocked drawer would not be sufficient. Unfortunately, that is all too common and is not a crime in a state without a child access prevention law. This demands more than simply negligence but a recklessness that led to conditions likely to cause such fatalities.
The issue will come down any prior knowledge of his instability and murderous fantasies. They obviously were made aware of those fantasies on Nov. 30th. Even if Jennifer sent that text after the news of the shootings, it is clear that she immediately thought of her son. It is not clear if they had already discovered the gun was missing at that point. That fact will be key in any proceedings.
The viability of these charges will depend on the police having additional information showing knowledge by the parents of the son’s violent inclinations or potential. It is not clear how much information that they were able to get from the parents or their son before these charges. We have seen in cases like Rittenhouse, a rush to bring charges before all of the facts were known by prosecutors. It is not clear whether the prosecutors had a more complete picture in this case.
My inference of mom Jennifer telling him, “Don’t do it” was an expression of fear that he would now take his own life (he had previously texted that his life was worthless. etc.) This further points to mom’s belief or knowledge that he was responsible for the shootings.
The best we can do is to discourage the behavior, recognize the warning signs, and offer counseling to mitigate its progress; but, ultimately, it was his Choice. Demos-cracy is aborted in darkness.
It looks like their attempt to avoid capture has crumbled for the Crumbleys.
What’s this whole thing about them being found ‘a mile from the Canadian border? Even if it was their intention to go to Canada they would have been extradited in very short order, as Canadian laws are very strongly anti-gun ownership, and they are not facing the death penalty. Reminds me of the whole ‘crossing state lines’ thing in the Rittenhouse trial. I love how the left draws lines in the the sand about ‘borders’ except when it come to defending the integrity of them.
The parents should ALSO be charged with child abandonment.
Cops found the couple hiding in basement of a Detroit art studio less than a mile from the Canadian border.
Clearly the parents planned and intended to permanently flee America and their 15yr. old ACTIVE SHOOTER CHILD.
Sickening and disgusting how these parents decided to permanently abandon their child who is sitting in jail with their gun, facing several life sentences.
The parents loved him enough to buy him a gun, but didn’t love him enough to face authorities on his behalf when their kid was arrested while executing students with their gun.
The parents are gun nut scumbags.
Ron,
I usually agree with you on most of what you post…..this time I must take issue with some of what you said.
The parent’s are not guilty of Child Abandonment….they knew he was secure, being looked after 24/7, would be well fed, provided medical care and even Counseling required by the School System and from all appearances would be doing so for the rest of their loving child’s natural life.
You might look at this as being very similar to a Mother dropping off her un-wanted baby at some authorized “Safe Haven” location like a Fire Station or Police Station.
Shy of reading their Minds….the fact they were within a half mile of the Canadian Border, hidden in a Warehouse Studio, with a large amount of cash recently drawn from an ATM….and not showing up for their Arraignment….that does not construe sufficient evidence of their intent to permanently flee the country. For all we know they might just have been binge watching Netflix videos and merely forgot about the silly ol’ Court Appearance thing.
Lastly….we have no direct evidence they were gun nuts.
But the very last of your post I shall not argue against.
Thanks for your kind, thoughtful considerate words and attitude.
In this instance I believe you mis-interpreted what I said and that’s my fault for not being more clear about what I meant, so your complaint makes sense; BUTTTTTTT, I will try to make my point more clear:
I do believe their actions and the evidence indicates the Crumbleys intended to evade police and their arrest warrants by absconding into Canada.
Had they absconded into Canada they would have categorically abandoned their child; or, had they evaded police and remained in the U.S. any longer they would be abandoning their child.
If they weren’t abandoning their child after days of evading the police and the court, the Crumbleys were definitely on the main road to abandoning their child.
Imagine if you will it was a black male 15-yr. old shooter whose black single parent mom evaded police the way the Crumbleys did – suddenly ending text communications with the Sherrif Dept., failing to appear in court when they said they would appear, then traveling AWAY FROM her home and away from the courthouse to a locked room in a basement of an abandoned warehouse with $4,000 cash, a half-mile from the Canadian border. The police would probably shoot the back male active shooter on the spot where they saw him with the gun and charge the evading mother with numerous charges.
I’ll say it again: It’s sickening and disgusting how these parents decided to permanently abandon their child who is sitting in jail with their gun, facing several life sentences.
The parents loved him enough to buy him a gun, but didn’t love him enough to face authorities on his behalf when their kid was arrested while executing students with their gun.
There’s more cause and reason to believe the Crumbleys were intending to flee the country and permanently abandon their child than not.
That’s my opinion of the Crumbleys.
The main issue is not purchasing a gun for a minor, but rather unfettered access as well as prior knowledge of a risky mental state.
We have hunters among my relatives, as well as military. We also know several cop families. Most of them have gone shooting with their kids. Kids who grow up in families who hunt often get their first gun at age 12. They go shooting with their parents, and go on hunting trips. There are a few teenagers among my relatives who successfully compete in shooting events. When a kid bags their first buck or bird, there are announcements. Shooting is even a project option in 4H, as well as archery. Lots of these teens would be researching guns and ammo on their phones, likely getting tips from their parents.
Families who participate in shooting sports raise their kids to participate in shooting sports. Therefore, just the act of being a firearm for a minor is not the issue.
The problem is whether the minor had free access to the gun, as well as red flags about his mental state. I have no information at all on his history. All we know so far is that there’d been a complaint about him searching for ammo on his cell phone during class, and then later the discovery of a very disturbing drawing of shooting people, with comments about uncontrollable thoughts. That should have gotten him a trip to a counselor immediately.
Guns need to be locked up around minors because they are highly emotional, prone to making snap decisions, and their brains have not matured. Suicide would actually be the highest risk of leaving either a gun, or prescription drugs, lying around.
I grew up in the home of a former military officer. There were loaded guns in the house that were accessible. My father felt a gun was no good in an emergency if it weren’t readily available. However, there are gun safes and lock boxes that are extremely easy to access. Kids play with guns, responsible kids have irresponsible or uneducated friends, and some kids get depressed. Keeping them locked up not only follows the law in some states, but it’s just common sense when kids are around.
It is extremely telling that both parents immediately thought of their kid as the perpetrator. The Dad went home to look for the gun, and the Mom texted him not to do it. That’s not because the kid liked to shoot, but because they realized he was having problems. My friends and relatives who go shooting with their kids would have been afraid their child might have been a victim, not immediately thought they might be a perpetrator.
These people are in some serious legal trouble. No matter what comes of the court case, they carry some heavy guilt for the murders and injuries their son committed.
Why does a teenager need a pistol?
@Ralph,
You want to pass the blame around.
I to am pro 2A. Not so much a supporter of the NRA because its a marketing organization but do support their efforts towards gun safety.
Turley is spot on in his assessment.
The parents should be held responsible.
The social media posts need to be explained.
You don’t buy your under aged kid a 9mm pistol.
You don’t let the kid have access to the weapon or ammo.
You use the trigger lock or cable lock. You buy a handgun safe which locks, and store the ammo separately.
You don’t let you kid handle the weapon without parental supervision. (Note: This isn’t rural America but in the city)
The parents do bare some responsibility and the manslaughter charge(s) fit.
No excuse.
-G
This is a reply to the author. You have incorrectly described Michigan’s manslaughter laws. My Googling tells me that you perhaps lifted your definition of the crime from a law firm’s equally inaccurate characterization on their blog. There is in fact no statutory definition of involuntary manslaughter (other than some specific offenses not involved here) in Michigan. It is a common law offense. The offense you have described in your article is common law voluntary manslaughter. Under Michigan case law it should be sufficient for a conviction of involuntary manslaughter to show that their gross negligence caused the death (without having to show that they knew they were creating a likely risk of death, which would be what is required for common law voluntary manslaughter). From what is already known there is obviously enough evidence to support a finding of gross negligence and therefore a conviction if a jury were to decide to convict. You should correct your mistake.
Anon….whichever one of you that is writing that post.
Are there two “Ralphs” posting here?
If you read….like really read and comprehend the text you are reading….I clearly stated in my humble opinion the Parents shall find themselves heading off to Prison following conviction on the charges levied against them and for good and clearly articuable reasons.
Turley in this case is not spot on….he by training as a Lawyer waffles about the clarity and ease of conviction unlike my declarative comment….as I am not a Lawyer and see things in a much simpler way.
Yes….you can buy your underage Child a 9MM Pistol…..what you do not do is let that Child have unfettered access to that weapon and supervise his handling, cleaning, and use of that 9mm Pistol until he is legally able to do so on his own….assuming he has shown the maturity and judgement that would allow you to trust that child with that deadly weapon.
The addled brained notion that the weapon and ammo must be stored separately just plain ignores reality.
There is a thing called a Gun Safe….that one can lock either gun and ammo or just the gun itself inside in a manner that only the combination holder can access.
A fully loaded and charged 9mm Pistol inside a Locked Gun Safe or a Pistol Lock Box or other locked container that only the parent has access to…..is all that is needed to ensure security.
Out in the Sticks or Downtown….the need to keep Children and Guns securely separated is exactly the same.
The difference is out here in the sticks we start teaching our Kids Gun Safety at an early age, teach them safe handling, marksmanship, and take them hunting……they grow up around and with Guns so there is no pent up curiosity about them.
We start them on BB guns and Pellet Guns…with paper targets and introduce them to bigger sized rifles and shotguns…and handguns as they grow into them.
They also know they get their butts whacked severely over any misconduct involving a firearm without any leniency or mitigation.
When friends visit and have their children along….prior to their arrival all my firearms go into the gun safe and stay there until they leave.
Had I been called to my Child’s school and told what these two Parents had been told….I would have done my own investigation…beginning with ascertaining what was in that back pack, his Locker at School if he had one, and confirmed the location of that 9MM Pistol and every other firearm at our home…..and they would have been moved out of the Home to a friends place for safe keeping until I was completely assured there was no danger of them being mis-used.
During marital strife in the past I have been the storage facilities for friends who wanted their firearms removed to a safe place….just in case arguments got out of hand….so the concept is not unique or unheard of among ordinary folk.
If everything I’ve heard and read about the parent’s part in delivering the pistol to the teenager and their complete lack of responsibility surrounding the firearm are true then I really hope the charges stick and these people are put away for a very long time.
The Crumbleys were just arraigned on $500,000 bond each. One of the two females representing the Crumbleys literally talked over the judge as she set the $500,000 bond.
The Crumbley’s attorneys claimed the Crumbleys were not a flight risk and deserved a $50,000 bond.
The Crumbley’s attorneys claim their clients were going to appear in court this morning on their own volition – even though they were arrested in a locked room with $4,000 in cash in an abandoned warehouse a half of a mile from the Canadian border.
Mrs. Crumbley foolishly shot herself in the foot by refusing to speak to pre-trial services, which categorically eliminated her chance for lower bond since pre-trial services simply do reference, residential and employment checks based on the information the defendant gives pre-trial court services.
I predict the Crumbley’s will make bond and be released. The court already ordered, if released on bond, the Crumbleys must wear leg monitors and turn their guns in.
I predict “The Rittenhouse Effect” will take place, i.e. massive GoFundMe money raised for the Crumbley defense fund.
The stupid – it burns and kills.
I thought for sure these were NRA exemplary parents. They bought their kid a gun, just what the NRA wants every red blooded American to do. Isn’t the mantra the best defense against a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun?
So where is the NRA in hyping how wonderful the parents of this child are?
I don’t think the NRA advocates leaving guns in unlocked drawers.
BabyTrump:
The NRA is actually quite well known for gun safety classes, which would include how to lock up firearms to prevent children and teens from accessing them.
But don’t let facts stop your emotional libel.
Your rant fails.
if they did not secure that handgun they were not exemplary NRA Parents. The NRA teaches the importance of safely securing firearms from children accessing them.
The Jury in Wisconsin endorsed the Good Guy with a Gun being the best defense against a Bad Guy with a Gun.
The Third Felon shot by Rittenhouse was attacking Rittenhouse with an illegal handgun when he got shot through the forearm ending his attack on Rittenhouse.
The reason the NRA is not hyping the Parents is because they failed to live up to the standards endorsed and taught by the NRA.
I am pro-gun, conservative, vote Republican, voted for Trump twice, strongly support Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground Laws, and support proactive law enforcement and served in combat and was wounded…..and our Lefties should note I have spoken out against the conduct of the parents in the School Shooting and also the Georgia shooting case…..but also supported Rittenhouse in his self defense actions.
Reasonable people can differentiate in the various factors involved in everyone of these kinds of events.
They all have similarities but all have differences.
What we on Right do is look at the facts and the laws and compare what happened to the laws before making our judgement.
Any on either side of the political spectrum that does not do that careful analysis before giving voice to a rant of some kind are just plain wrong headed.
Four School Kids are dead….others are physically wounded…..and many are psychologically wounded as a result of what happened that sad day.
Just as in the Parkland School Shooting in Florida….many chances to prevent the mass shootings presented themselves to the Parents, Family, School, and especially at Parkland….local and federal law enforcement.
The wrong doer is the Shooter and everyone that facilitated the murder of those Children and the wounding of all the others…..either through an overt act or by failure to act.
They all should be held accountable right along with the Shooter, his Parents, the School System…..not just as organizations but as individuals.
Assessing what went wrong also should carefully examine the political decisions that played a role as well as the forming of certain mindsets with the Educational system that results in an environment where this can happen without any advance action being taken to identify and secure a threat.
The School had a Resource Officer….who was not made aware of the situation……and the simple question is why did that notice not happen?
Had the School done just that…..and only that…..this tragedy would have been prevented.
Why have a School Resource Officer if that Officer is not made aware of potential threats.
The Parents certainly should have seen the Red Flags flying after being called to the school and told of the notes and wording within them.
The School certainly should. have taken far more action than it did.
There is lots of blame to go around…..and politics should not allow anyone to escape their responsibility in correcting the flaws in the system.
Every School System in the Country should be taking notice of this and every other School Shooting and take genuinely effective measures to identify threats well ahead of time.
Sadly….most will see metal detectors as the remedy….which have nothing to do with advance detection of a threat which if done properly would render Metal Detectors redundant.
What we are seeing from the DA is exactly the same political virtue signaling as the bogus Rittenhouse prosecution.
Kids today are entitled, disrespectful punks.
As they always have been since at least 300,000BC.
I have no problem holding idiots responsible for the decisions.
It is clear the Parents are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. Let’s face it. All parents gets stuff wrong every day. These parents are off the charts terrible. All their known wrongs here have been documented. I’m betting the lead up to this shooting is just as littered with bad parenting.
But are we going to lock up bad parents?
I am much more interested in the Highly educated, but some how clueless Phd’s that run the Schools. How can these “experts” shove the responsibility on to anyone but themselves? The parents are supposed to read a 15 year old mind. But a school full of college educated childhood development experts, avert their eyes? the Principles and assistant Principles, etal have advanced degrees. How many Phd’s are scattered around the buildings? How many specialists that have advanced education specifically to handle boys like the shooter.
But by all means lets single out parents and give the experts a raise, and hire 6 more highly educated people that will avoid all responsibility for the results of their actions.
The parents are gun-nut scumbags who should ALSO be charged with child abandonment.
Cops found the couple hiding in basement of a Detroit art studio less than a mile from the Canadian border.
Clearly the parents planned and intended to permanently flee America and their 15yr. old ACTIVE SHOOTER CHILD.
Sickening and disgusting how these parents decided to permanently abandon their child who is sitting in jail with their gun, facing several life sentences.
The parents loved him enough to buy him a gun, but didn’t love him enough to face authorities on his behalf when their kid was arrested while executing students with their gun.
The parents are gun nut scumbags.
Isn’t it amazing that after years and years of school shootings, Congress nor school boards have effected a protocol or policy which mandates school officials to contact and notify law enforcement and school security of evidence of potential gun violence at school?
I believe a jury would find that a reasonable person who encounters hard evidence of student gun violence fantasy at school would have notified school security/police and requested a search of the student, his locker and his things, including backpacks, etc.
I believe the school official who was aware of the kids’ gun violence fantasy and who failed to have the student and his things searched, including his backpack which contained his father’s gun, that school official who sent the disturbed kid back to class with his unsearched backpack bears some criminal liability as well as civil liability.
ALL THE VICTIMS’ PARENTS are laying in bed at night thinking over and over and over: IF THE DAMN SCHOOL WOULD HAVE SEARCHED HIS BACKPACK, MY KID WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.
btw, many pro-gun advocates do not possess empathy toward the victims and the victims’ parents, but spend time thinking about how no one was responsible except for the 15-yr. old kid. Some pro-gun nuts simply DO NOT BLAME THE PARENTS MUCH LESS SCHOOL OFFICIALS.
I believe sufficient probable cause exists to indict the school official who was aware of the hard evidence of student gun violence fantasy at school, but failed to take reasonable action to prevent this school shooting by simply notifying school security as to the hard evidence of student gun violence fantasy. Had that school official notified school security, school security would have searched his backpack and found the father’s gun inside. The school official should have requested a search of the student, his backpack and his things before that school official sent the disturbed kid back to class unsearched and unresolved.
ronharold2021 — That was my first thought after hearing that the school official met with the parents and the boy just before the shooting, then let him go back to class without searching his backpack. There are at least three adults who could have prevented this tragedy if they had only done their jobs.
giocon1…same here! I was amazed that when the parents refused to take him with them and then left the school, they didn’t call and notify police of what had just transpired.
“. . . notifying school security as to the hard evidence of student gun violence fantasy. Had that school official notified school security, school security would have . . .”
That would be the same school security that the Left wants to eliminate?
“No school in California should have a permanent police officer. School districts should not be able to create their own police departments or reserve forces, nor should they coordinate with any outside law enforcement agency to station law enforcement on a school campus.” (The ACLU)
https://www.aclusocal.org/en/no-police-in-schools
“Since May 2020, at least 33 districts have eliminated school police officers, and others have shifted their relationships with security personnel.”
https://www.edweek.org/leadership/these-districts-defunded-their-school-police-what-happened-next/2021/06
Why do they want to eliminate school security? Because — wait for it — it’s “racist:”
“Policing in the U.S. has historical roots in slave patrols . . .” (ACLU)
I am not exculpating the murderer of his parents. I am pointing out what should be obvious: When you eliminate, “reimagine,” defund the police — you get free-range criminals.
“murderer of his parents.”
of = or
Rushing to judgment before all the facts are known is never a good thing. We should not forget the Golden Thread of Anglo-American justice – innocent until proven guilty (Thanks Rumploe!)
Ronald sums it up very succinctly.
Professor Turley cites this section of the Law being the avenue the State shall use in trying the Parents: “(3) creating a situation where the risk of great bodily harm or death was very high, knowing that as a result of the defendant’s actions he or she knew that serious harm or death would likely result. The prosecutors must also show that the defendant caused the death of the victim without justification or lawful excuse”.
You buy a handgun and grant your underage Child “ownership” of the weapon….leave said weapon unsecured in a location known to (or easily found by…) that Child.
You are called to the Child’s School….two days in a row…one occasion being over drawings of the shooting of others.
You have possession of the Child’s Back Pack and your Child during the second meeting with School Authorities.
You do nothing to ascertain the whereabouts of the firearm…..you do not seize the firearm and put it into a secure place where the Child cannot get it.
The child within a few hours commits mass murder with that weapon.
There is no question how this shall turn out…..GUILTY.
Now that is just the Criminal side….there is then the Civil Side where the families sue your pants off and take whatever you have or will have.
As to the School System…..they better be hitting their County Commissioners up for a large pot of money to pay the price of their gross failure to do right.
The Sheriff has already stated. had his Deputies (School Resource Officer) been informed of the situation by School Authorities…..that firearm would have been seized along with any other firearms in the possession of or accessible by that Child.
There are folks at the School System that should have to find alternative employment.
We shall see that School System make some very critical changes in their policies that should have been in place decades ago.
Teachers who had daily contact with that Child should have been waving Red Flags to the Principal, School Resource Officer, and the School Counselor.
This was a preventable event….but the system failed those who were killed, wounded, and maimed by this Child who plainly suffered from serious mental issues.
Most importantly…..the Parents failed in their responsibility to care for the Child and thus others that were harmed by their Child.
The Child has the best defense against the Criminal Charges…..by claiming to be Mentally Ill and not understanding the seriousness of what he was doing…..hopefully that shall fail in Court.
Thx Ralph for your affirmation. Isn’t it amazing that after years and years of school shootings, Congress nor school boards have effected a protocol or policy which mandates school officials to contact and notify law enforcement and school security of evidence of potential gun violence at school?
I believe a jury would find that a reasonable person who encounters hard evidence of student gun violence fantasy at school would have notified school security/police and requested a search of the student, his locker and his things, including backpacks, etc.
I believe the school official who was aware of the kids’ gun violence fantasy and who failed to have the student and his things searched, including his backpack which contained his father’s gun, that school official who sent the disturbed kid back to class with his unsearched backpack bears some criminal liability as well as civil liability.
ALL THE VICTIMS’ PARENTS are laying in bed at night thinking over and over and over: IF THE DAMN SCHOOL WOULD HAVE SEARCHED HIS BACCKPACK, MY KID WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.
btw, many pro-gun advocates do not possess empathy toward the victims and the victims’ parents, but spend time thinking about how no one was responsible except for the 15-yr. old kid. Some pro-gun nuts simply DO NOT BLAME THE PARENTS MUCH LESS SCHOOL OFFICIALS.
I believe sufficient probable cause exists to indict the school official who was aware of the hard evidence of student gun violence fantasy at school, but failed to take reasonable action to prevent this school shooting by simply notifying school security as to the hard evidence of student gun violence fantasy. Had that school official notified school security, school security would have searched his backpack and found the father’s gun inside. The school official should have requested a search of the student, his backpack and his things before that school official sent the disturbed kid back to class unsearched and unresolved.
I don’t blame the parents for purchasing the gun. I don’t blame them for leaving it accessible. There are millions of households around the country with both kids and easy access to guns. Rarely does this result. What I blame then for is being oblivious to the fact that their child was obviously deeply troubled. By all accounts he was bullied and picked on for some time at school. I blame the school for allowing that situation to fester until it exploded. There is plenty of blame to go around, not the morning of the shooting, but in the weeks and months leading up to this.
Not excusing the kid by any means, but it goes far deeper than that. Everyone on all levels fell down on this.
Not only are the parents responsible, but school officials and the school board is responsible as well. How? It is a fact the 15-yr. old exhibited signs of potential violent behavior the day of the shooting and even before the day of the shooting in the school’s prior meeting with the kid.
The day of the shooting the parents and a school official had THE KID, HIS BACKPACK, HIS FATHER’S GUN in their custody. The victims’ families are going to sue the shit out of the school, school board and the school official who sat in a room with the parents, the disturbed kid, his backpack which contained his fathers’ gun – yet the school official and the parents all failed to search the kids’ backpack DESPITE HARD EVIDENCE in their immediate possession the kid had a gun fantasy to kill at school.
The school official(s) had good cause in their immediate possession to believe the kid had a gun violence fantasy, but failed to search his backpack for weapons or additional evidence of more gun violence fantasy in his backpack.
Had the school official(s) (or the parents) searched the kids’ backpack, the fathers’ gun would have been found and school officials would have or should have called the police after they found the gun in his backpack.
A simple search of this disturbed kid’s backpack would have completely avoided anyone being shot and killed or wounded.
Clearly school officials failed to search the kid and his backpack resulting in all these needless deaths and injury. Further, victims’ lawyers will name the school board in the lawsuit for failing to implement safety protocols which include searching a student and his things such as a backpack for weapons and additional evidence of gun violence fantasy/plans, when a student exhibits and/or creates evidence of gun violence fantasy while at school, such as this kid did.
School officials are going to argue they were not required to search the kid and his backpack because there was no school board policy in place requiring school officials to search a disturbed kid and his things even after school officials found hard evidence of a student exhibiting a gun violence fantasy at school.
Think how the families of the victims feel knowing had school officials searched his backpack, they would have found the gun and all this murder and suffering would have been 100% avoided AND THEIR KID WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.
Hold the parents, school officials and the school board accountable.
Before they charged the parents they should have taken more time to investigate the facts. Like what motivated this kid any kid to go to school and attack his school mates. Was this kid a problem, did he have medical problems, obviously his head wasn’t right, was he getting counseling prior to the event. I had weapons in my home ours kids new the rules and Thank God respected the rules.
In any event the msm just got an out from talking about Waukesha.
Think how the families of the victims feel knowing had school officials searched his backpack, they would have found the gun and all this murder and suffering would have been 100% avoided AND THEIR KID WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.
Hold the parents, school officials and the school board accountable.
Did the parents actually buy the gun and give it to the kid or did the kid take it and the parents were not aware that he did this. I wonder what kind of house this was to live in. Even if the parents aren’t convicted there may be civil suits.
Think how the families of the victims feel knowing had school officials searched his backpack, they would have found the gun and all this murder and suffering would have been 100% avoided AND THEIR KID WOULD STILL BE ALIVE.
Hold the parents, school officials and the school board accountable.
The father bought the gun 4 days before the shooting. It was the kid’s Christmas gift.