OXFORD, MI - Oxford school officials asked for a third-party to review why a student who allegedly shot 11 people returned to class after meeting with counselors about violent drawings.
Oxford Community Schools Superintendent Tim Throne said to “leave no stone unturned,” all interactions Ethan Crumbley had with staff and students will be investigated.
“I have personally asked for a third-party review of all the events of the past week because our community and our families deserve a full, transparent accounting of what occurred,” Thorne wrote in a Dec. 4 letter to parents.
Crumbley, a 15-year-old sophomore, is accused of shooting 11 people—killing four students and wounding seven people—in a Nov. 30 rampage at Oxford High School.
Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17 died from their injuries.
The actions of Oxford school officials are under scrutiny after Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald laid out a timeline of warning signs that led up to the deadly shooting.
“Any individual who had the opportunity to stop this tragedy should have done so,” she said during a Friday, Dec. 3 press briefing.
On Nov. 29, the day before the shooting, McDonald said a teacher found Crumbley looking at pictures of ammunition on his phone during class.
He met with a counselor that day, Throne wrote in the letter, and “indicated he and his mother recently went to the shooting range and that shooting sports are a family hobby.”
School officials tried to contact the teen’s mother, Jennifer Crumbley, who allegedly did not respond to a phone call or email. Authorities said she later texted her son “LOL I’m not mad at you. You have to learn not to get caught.”
On the morning of the shooting, McDonald said a teacher found Crumbley with drawings of a handgun, a bullet, a person bleeding with two gunshot wounds and a laughing emoji. The drawing also included the phrases “the thoughts won’t stop, help me,” “blood everywhere” “my life is useless” and “the world is dead.”
Crumbley was removed from class while school officials attempted to contact his parents.
“He claimed the drawing was part of a video game he was designing and informed counselors that he planned to pursue video game design as a career,” Throne wrote.
Related: Bond set at $500,000 for parents of alleged Oxford High School shooter
For 90 minutes, Crumbley remained with school officials. Concerned about missing assignments, he asked to work on his science homework.
“At no time did counselors believe the student might harm others based on his behavior, responses and demeanor, which appeared calm,” Throne wrote.
When James and Jennifer Crumbley arrived at the school, Throne says counselors probed Crumbley with questions and determined he did not intend to harm himself or others.
School officials were also not told James Crumbley purchased a firearm for his son days earlier.
Throne said investigators are still determining if Ethan Crumbley had the gun in his backpack during the meeting.
The Crumbleys were then given 48 hours to seek counseling for their son. They were also asked to take Ethan Crumbley home for the day.
“They flatly refused and left without their son, apparently to return to work,” Throne said. “Given the fact that the child had no prior disciplinary infractions, the decision was made he would be returned to the classroom rather than sent home to an empty house.”
Hours later, shots were fired into a crowd of students passing between classes.
Crumbley was arrested without injury. He faces 24 charges including terrorism and first-degree murder.
Related: Oakland County sheriff says someone helped parents of accused Oxford school shooter evade police
Throne says he understands the fateful decisions by school officials have caused “anger, confusion and prompted understandable questioning.” But he said counselors relied on professional judgment based on the information they had at the time.
An independent security consultant will also review the district’s safety practices.
Although McDonald raised concerns about Oxford school officials, she said it does not mean there’s “criminal culpability” in their actions. She did, however, charge James and Jennifer Crumbley with four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said during a Dec. 4 press briefing the drawings are a part of the entire investigation.
“If it was concerning to the teacher in the class, enough ultimately to call in parents, at that point we would have loved to have been looped in,” he said.
All three Crumbleys are currently lodged at the Oakland County Jail.
More on MLive:
‘Ethan don’t do it,’ Mom texted son when she heard news of Oxford school shooting, prosecutor says
A close-knit, family community: Oxford locals want the world to see more than shooting
Stricter gun laws? The question looms over Michigan politics in wake of deadly school shooting
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