Michigan School Shooter’s Parents Flee After Being Charged for Son’s Crime

The parents of the 15-year-old boy responsible for killing four students at Oxford High School in Detroit, Michigan, are currently on the run after charges were filed against them. James and Jennifer Crumbley both face four counts of involuntary manslaughter after Ethan Crumbley used a gun purchased by his father days before to kill four students and injure six more.

“These charges are intended to hold the individuals who contributed to this tragedy accountable and also send the message that gun owners have a responsibility,” Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said during a press conference Friday. “While the shooter was the one who entered the high school and pulled the trigger, there are other individuals who contributed to the events on Nov. 30 and it’s my intention to hold them accountable as well.”

An Oakland County prosecutor says a teacher caught Ethan Crumbley searching ammunition on his cellphone during class, notified administrators, & contacted Crumbley's parents. His mom wrote to his son, "LOL. I'm not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught." pic.twitter.com/CUahR5w4Io

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 3, 2021

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard revealed that the authorities aren’t sure about the parents’ whereabouts but claimed they would have them in custody soon. According to the attorneys for the couple, they will be returning to face charges despite having withdrawn $4,000 from an ATM and going missing since Thursday.

“On Thursday night we contacted the Oakland County prosecutor to discuss this matter and to advise her that James and Jennifer Crumbley would be turning themselves in to be arraigned,” the couple’s lawyers wrote to The Daily Mail. “Instead of communicating with us, the prosecutor held a press conference to announce charges. The Crumbleys left town on the night of the tragic shooting for their own safety. They are returning to the area to be arraigned. They are not fleeing from law enforcement despite recent comments in media reports.”

No matter where the story goes from now, the decision by the prosecution is rare and the Oakland County Sheriff’s office denies that any surrender plan had been communicated to them before charges were announced. Bouchard also adds at CNN that police didn’t begin searching until the couple’s lawyers stopped responding to texts. “If they think they’re going to get away, they’re not,” Bouchard said.

Ethan Crumbley’s actions are traced back to when his father purchased the 9mm Sig Sauer SP handgun from Acme Shooting Grounds in Oxford, Michigan. His mother’s social media posts and texts to Ethan indicate she may have ignored warnings and messages from school officials regarding Ethan’s behavior. This includes a search for ammunition on Nov. 29 that prompted a teacher to report him.

Crumbley's mom seemed to have a pretty good idea that Ethan Crumbley was considering a school shooting. pic.twitter.com/IeLvsHqDLS

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) December 3, 2021

On Nov. 30, the day of the shooting, another teacher discovered a note written by Ethan that sent chills, reading, “Thoughts won’t stop, help me…my life is useless…the world is dead.” Despite being summoned after the discovery, the parents and officials neglected to ask if he had the firearm with him and checked his backpack. The shooting would occur shortly after.

James and Jennifer Crumbley have not turned themselves in and were set to be arraigned at 4 p.m. local time. Their lawyer attests that they are returning and not on the run, according to The Daily Mail.