Ethan Crumbley, the 15-year-old who shot his classmates and staff at a Michigan school last Tuesday, held an hour-and-a-half meeting with school counselors moments before starting the shooting in which four teenagers lost their lives. .
This is revealed in a communication issued by Tim Throne, superintendent of the Oxford Community School District, who also called for an investigation led by a third party.
"It is vitally important to the victims, our staff and
our
entire
community that a full and transparent investigation is conducted
,
"
Throne said.
The letter was released on Saturday, the same day that the parents of the minor James and Jennifer Crumbley were detained after being declared fugitives.
Both face charges of involuntary manslaughter against them and have pleaded not guilty.
Family, friends and students place flower arrangements, candles and messages at a memorial near the entrance to Oxford, Michigan high school. Jake May / AP
For his part, the adolescent will be tried as an adult on charges of terrorism and murder in the first degree.
Prosecutor Karen McDonald has said that there were numerous warning signs that the student could be violent, such as searching for ammunition information on his cell phone and a drawing showing a bullet with the words "blood all over it. parts ".
[The student who killed his classmates in a Michigan school shot more than 15 times]
These attitudes caught the attention of the school counselors who approached Crumbley for a conversation.
The day before
According to what Throne revealed, the day before the shooting a teacher noticed that the teenager was looking at photos of ammunition on his cell phone and they summoned him to a meeting.
Crumbley's response was that he and his mother had recently gone to a shooting range as part of a family tradition, Throne said.
"In accordance with policies and procedures,
the school tried to contact the student's mother to discuss the incident, but did not receive a response at first.
The next day, his parents confirmed his account," the letter says.
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Prosecutors later revealed that she texted her son that day saying she had to learn not to get caught and that she was not mad at him.
"The counselors didn't think it would cause harm."
On Tuesday, November 30, a teacher noticed some drawings and written statements
described in the statement as "worrying."
He was immediately taken to the office of a school guide.
There, in front of other advisers, he assured that the drawings were part of a video game that he himself was designing and that he wanted to study this career when he graduated.
The educational staff called Crumbley's parents but they had difficulty communicating.
The teenager spent an hour and a half in the office talking with the counselors.
Photos from the Oakland County Sheriff's Department show James and Jennifer Crumbley, the parents of Ethan Crumbley, the teenager accused of killing 4 students at Oxford High School.
James and Jennifer Crumbley finally made their way to school and while their son was waiting for them he said he wanted to get on with his science homework in the office.
"The counselors did not at any time believe that the student could cause harm to others, based on his behavior, his responses and his behavior, which seemed calm," said Throne.
The superintendent says that it has not been verified whether at that time Crumbley had the weapon in his backpack.
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When the parents arrived, they confirmed again what their son had said and at no time did they mention the weapon that they had acquired days before.
The counselors notified them that they had 48 hours to seek counseling for their son or the school would contact child protective services and told them to take Ethan home.
They refused and decided to return "apparently" to work.
[The young man arrested for the shooting in Michigan recorded a video where he expresses his intention to kill his companions]
"Since the young man had no prior disciplinary infractions,
the decision was made to have him return to the classrooms rather than send him to an empty house
. These incidents were kept at the counselor level and never escalated to the principal's or assistant principal's office. Throne narrated.
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What happened next has been revealed by the authorities: the young man fired at the moment when the students were changing classes at 1:00 pm (local time).
Crumbley was carrying at least two 15-round magazines at the time of his arrest.
In the shooting, 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana was killed;
Madisyn Baldwin, 17;
Tate Myre, 16;
and Justin Shilling, 17. Seven other people, including a teacher, were seriously injured.
