Ethan Crumbley ‘likely had gun in backpack’ during parents’ meeting at Oxford High School after he ‘searched for ammo’
SHOOTING suspect Ethan Crumbley likely had a gun in his backpack during his parents' meeting with school officials just hours before the massacre.
Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said there was a “very strong possibility” the 15-year-old sophomore had the weapon during Tuesday's discussion about his alarming behavior.
Prosector McDonald explained that Oxford High School students were using backpacks rather than lockers due to COVID-19.
She added: "Unfortunately he was allowed to go back to class.
"We now know he had a weapon with him at that time, and that is simply tragic.”
Crumbley's parents James and Jennifer were charged with four counts each of involuntary manslaughter on Friday.
HORRIFYING IMAGES
“The parents were the only individuals in the position to know the access to weapons,” Oakland County prosecutor McDonald said Thursday. The gun “seems to have been just freely available to that individual.”
Teenager Crumbley is already facing charges including terrorism and four counts of first-degree murder.
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Prior to the shooting, he had drawn horrifying images of a bullet and person shot with a laughing emoji, prosecutors revealed on Friday.
The 15-year-old sophomore's drawings and behavior concerned teachers in the days before the massacre.
Two different educators then told Oxford High school officials of their worries.
McDonald said on Friday that texts show Ethan's mom Jennifer messaged her son "don't do it" after telling him to "learn not to get caught."
That came after he was found was searching online for ammunition while in school.
Prosecutors said she text him saying "Ethan, don't do it" at 1.22pm on the day of the shooting. However, Ethan had reportedly already opened fire at 12.51pm.
Pictures allegedly drawn by the teen were pictured by a teacher who saw the note, prosecutors said.
It read: "The thoughts won't stop, help me. My life is useless. The world is dead."
PARENTS PRAISED GUN LAWS
His mom Jennifer had previously praised gun laws as "protection against people with bad intentions."
She voiced her thoughts in an open letter to President-elect Donald Trump.
They revealed on Wednesday that both parents both have rap sheets with DUIs and a string of other offenses.
In the letter to Trump, Jennifer wrote: "As a female and a Realtor, thank you for allowing my right to bear arms.
"Allowing me to be protected if I show a home to someone with bad intentions.
"Thank you for respecting that Amendment. Thank you for wanting to put our Veterans first.
"Why we send so much money overseas when we have so much help we need to provide here is beyond me."
CHILLING NOTES
Ethan reportedly detailed his alleged desire to "open fire at the Oxford High School in Michigan and his classmates" in a journal.
During his arraignment on Wednesday, it emerged that the teen's phone and a journal were seized by law enforcement – and cops allegedly found chilling fantasies described on Ethan's device and written down.
Oakland County Sheriff’s Lieutenant Tim Willis said law enforcement searched the Crumbleys' home and found "two separate videos recovered from Ethan’s cellphone."
Speaking to Judge Nancy Carniak during Ethan's arraignment, Willis said the videos were "made by him the night before the incident, wherein he talked about shooting and killing students the next day at Oxford High School.”
Authorities also found Ethan's backpack and found a journal "detailing his desire to shoot up the school, to include murdering students," Willis said.
School administrators flagged Ethan for "behavior in the classroom that they felt was concerning," said Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.
The reports resulted in two separate meetings with Crumbley - including one with his parents and school officials just hours before the massacre.
"Ultimately it was determined that he could go back into class," Sheriff Bouchard added.
OPENED FIRE
Sheriff Bouchard said security footage from the school shows the gunman appeared to aim for the victims' head or chest.
Police said 15-year-old sophomore Crumbley came out of a bathroom shooting with a semi-automatic handgun, firing at students while moving down the hallway.
His father bought the 9 mm Sig Sauer gun last week, according to the sheriff.
Crumbley was arrested minutes later after putting his hands in the air.
Assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said Crumbley - who has pleaded not guilty - "deliberately brought the handgun that day with the intent to murder as many students as he could."
'PREMEDITATED'
And prosecutor Karen McDonald said the shooting was premeditated, based on a “mountain of digital evidence” against Crumbley.
Crumbley was arraigned by video conference on Wednesday and was accompanied by his parents on the call.
He will be transferred from a juvenile detention center to Oakland County's adult jail, where he'll be sequestered and put under suicide watch.
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Crumbley was charged Wednesday as an adult with one count of terrorism, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder, and 12 counts of possession of a firearm.
He will be tried as an adult, prosecutors confirmed on Wednesday.
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