Parents of Oxford High School shooting victims call for state-led investigation
(CBS DETROIT) — With the third anniversary of the Oxford High School shooting approaching, the parents of the victims are demanding a state-led independent investigation so that data can be collected and used to create solutions.
On Monday, the families of the four students killed in the Nov. 30, 2021 shooting — Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre and Justin Shilling — called on Michigan lawmakers to mandate and fund an independent investigation into the events that led up to the shooting.
The families say it's been three years of excuses from all governmental agencies.
"We are infatuated with pointing the figure at the tool for this violence instead of thinking about why are people feeling this way. Why are people getting to the point where they want to do evil things," said Buck Myre, Tate Myre's father. "We are not thinking about the part of it, the whole prevention part of it. We are only addressing the gun stuff. We are not trying to get better systematically. That's what this investigation will expose."
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has on several occasions offered to conduct an investigation but has been rejected by the Oxford Community Schools board each time.
In response to Monday's press conference, Nessel said the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office and the Oakland County Sheriff's Office declined any assistance from Nessel's office.
"My office has always respected local authority and we never use our jurisdiction to supersede local or county level criminal investigations," Nessel said. "Once a matter's being reviewed by local law enforcement, my department will only join in or take the lead in a criminal investigation or prosecution after the local authorities have provided a referral and asked us to.
"To this day, let me make it clear, neither the Oakland County Sheriff or the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office has ever asked us to take over any part of the criminal investigation into what took place in Oxford."
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald responded to Nessel's comments, saying:
"As indicated in my memo to the families, there is a difference between the role of a prosecutor, who is an advocate, and that of the police and other investigators, who gather evidence. My office does not have the authority to conduct the investigation the families have asked for. The Attorney General does. We are not aware of any mechanism for our office to refer a matter to the Attorney General's office when it has not been presented to our office. And what the families are asking for is much broader. We are not aware of any action needed by my office to activate the Attorney General's authority, but we will do everything possible to enable such an investigation. And my office will fully cooperate with any such investigation.
"There is so much we can learn, and we owe it to the students who were killed and those who were injured, their families, the Oxford community, and our children to do everything we can to prevent future shootings. An independent investigation remains a critical, missing piece in that process."
An independent investigation by Guidepost Solutions was released in October 2023 and says all levels of Oxford Community Schools "bear responsibility" and failed to provide a safe environment for students. Families of the shooting victims say the Guidepost investigation "lacked subpoena power, resulting in many school employees being advised by their attorneys to not participate, leaving crucial questions unanswered."
The shooter, Ethan Crumbley, was sentenced in December 2023 to life without the possibility of parole, while his parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were sentenced in April to 10-15 years in prison after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter.
Monday's press conference was the first time the families spoke without their attorneys.
