What are the charges against Ethan Crumbley? Teen, 15, arraigned as adult terrorist
OXFORD, MICHIGAN: Just a day after the deadly shooting at Oxford High School, Michigan, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has revealed the charges against the 15-year-old shooter Ethan Crumbley. The teenager will be charged as an adult, with numerous charges slapped for his actions on November 30, which led to the deaths of four students at the school.
Chilling videos from the day are now being widely shared, showing students barricading themselves inside classrooms as Crumbley roamed the halls, gun in hand. Survivors also spoke about the incident, both to the media and on social media, with one student saying, "I see blood all over the floor." Reportedly, school authorities were warned about his behavior days before the shooting but did little to prevent it apart from asking his parents to come in.
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In fact, it has also been revealed that Crumbley kept a countdown to his shooting on Instagram, indicating that it was a premeditated act. For that reason, he will be tried as an adult terrorist, with charges that could see him spend life in prison.
What are the charges?
The 15-year-old sophomore has currently been slapped with a total of 24 charges. They include 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 while committing a felony. "Shortly, we'll be announcing whether or not there will be other charges," McDonald told reporters, hinting that Crumbley's parents could also be charged.
"Owning a gun means securing it properly, locking it and keeping ammo separate and not allowing access to others, particularly minors," she said, adding, "we have to hold individuals accountable." Even though he is just 15, prosecutors are charging him as an adult so that if he is found guilty, he will spend his life in prison possibly without parole. At the heart of the case is intent, which McDonald indicated there was. "There is a mountain of digital evidence. We are confident it was premeditated," she noted. It's unclear what exactly Crumbley's intent was. He wasn't bullied, and so far there have been no reports of him suffering from mental health issues, this is also something his stepbrother Eli Crumbley has also stated. But the countdown clock on Instagram and numerous photos of the weapon used appear to indicate that it was pre-planned.
Crumbley was arraigned on December 1, where he entered a not guilty plea. Reportedly, his attorney has advised him to plead the fifth during police questioning. He is being held without bail at Oakland County Jail, where he was moved from Oakland County's Children's Village after his court appearance. While his attorney did not object to Crumbley being held without bail, he did attempt to object to the move to county jail but was overruled.
A probable cause conference has been set for December 13 and a preliminary examination for December 20. In the meantime, Crumbley is being held in isolation at county jail and won't have contact with any adult inmates. It's unclear if he will remain on suicide watch as he was before his arrangement.