The suspect in a Michigan school shooting will face
charges of terrorism and first-degree murder following a
rampage that left four students dead and seven injured.
Prosecutors on Wednesday charged Oxford High School
student Ethan Crumbley, 15, as an adult.
He has pleaded not guilty. Police are yet to identify a
motive in the attack.
The victims were named as Tate Myre, 16, Madisyn
Baldwin, 17, Hana St Juliana, 14, and Justin Shilling, 17.
Announcing the charges on Wednesday, Oakland County
prosecutor Karen McDonald said her office had “a
mountain of digital evidence” to show the suspect had
planned the attack “well before the incident”.
One such instance is a video of the suspect the night
before the shooting, in which he discusses killing students.
“This isn’t even a close call,” she said. “This was not an
impulsive act.”
She added that it was “absolutely premeditated”.
Ms McDonald said the teen will face 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, with further charges likely as the
investigation unfolds.
At a later news conference, Oakland County Sheriff
Michael Bouchard said charging the suspect as an adult
was “the most appropriate” action.
“I agree with holding this individual wholly and completely
responsible for the deplorable, tragic event that occurred
by his choice,” he said.
The suspect will be transferred from a juvenile detention
centre to the local county jail, where he will be held
without bond.
The teenager has refused to speak with investigators on
the instructions of his family.
The sheriff stressed that the teenager had never been on
the radar of law enforcement or the school. He also
added there was no evidence the suspect had been bullied
by his peers.
“There is nothing that he could have faced that would
warrant senseless, absolutely brutal violence on other
kids,” said Mr Bouchard.
He noted that the suspect’s parents had been called to the
school hours before the shooting “for behaviour in the
classroom that was concerning”.
Investigators have found the suspect loaded his firearm –
purchased by his father on Friday – in the bathroom and
then walked through the hallway firing more than 30 shots
from the weapon.
Mr Bouchard said the suspect appeared to fire
indiscriminately during the attack at the school of around
1,700 students.
Tate Myre reportedly tried to disarm the shooter, and
more than 75,000 people have signed a petition calling for
the school to rename its football stadium after Tate.
The 16-year-old, who played on the football team, died in
a police officer’s car on the way to hospital.
Madisyn and Hana also died on Tuesday, while Justin was
confirmed dead on Wednesday.
Among those admitted to hospital, a 17-year-old female
student remains in critical condition with a gunshot wound
to the chest.
