Mason Middle School: Teen charged for threatening with 'better watch out' message
WATERFORD TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN: A 13-year-old has been charged with a felony after he allegedly threatened a local middle school days after the deadly Oxford shooting. Police in Waterford Township reportedly found that there were threats made on social media that stated "Mason better watch out", referring to Mason Middle School. The post also had a picture of a firearm.
Police confirmed that a student of Mason Middle School made the threat. The 13-year-old reportedly admitted to posting the threat during an interview with investigators. The boy was charged with knowingly making a false report of terrorism, a felony that carries up to as many as 20 years in prison if convicted.
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"All threats are taken seriously, and we will continue to investigate each and every one," Waterford Township Police Chief Scott Underwood said, per the news station. "We will use all available investigative tactics and resources, arrest those responsible, and seek to charge them to the fullest extent possible."
A 15-year-old student, Ethan Crumbley, shot four students dead and injured over seven people at a high school in Oxford, Michigan on Tuesday, November 30. Authorities have now found videos on the suspect's phone that show him talking about killing students, a sheriff’s official said. The disclosure was made before the arraignment of Ethan Crumbley, 15, against whom Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has announced charges, 4 counts of first-degree murder, 7 counts of assault with intent to murder, 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and 1 count of terrorism causing death.
Lt Tim Willis of the Oakland County Sheriff’s office read from Crumbley’s indictment and said that the videos were recorded the night before the school shooting on November 30, roughly an hour north of Detroit. Authorities have also allegedly discovered a journal with entries that mentioned shooting and killing students. Unconfirmed screenshots have also fueled rumors about the incident. A video has been doing the rounds on social media, allegedly showing the shooter throwing a Molotov cocktail in his backyard. Social media is claiming that despite the signs, school authorities did not take the required steps. The school has been slammed for not doing enough to protect the students despite prior warnings. The attack left as many as four students dead, Justin Shilling, 17, Tate Myre, 16, Hana St. Juliana, 14, and Madisyn Baldwin, 17.
The Sheriff's Office announced on December 4 that James and Jennifer, Ethan's parents, would be facing four counts of involuntary manslaughter. If convicted, they will face 15 years in prison. Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald defended the charges saying "extreme negligence" led to the school tragedy and the pistol used by the teen fugitive was purchased by James at a Black Friday sale, in presence of his son. James is also accused of failing to keep the firearm away from his son.