Who is Oxford high school shooter? Boy, 15, kept countdown to D-day on his Instagram
OXFORD, MICHIGAN: A 15-year-old boy shot three students dead and injured at least eight at a high school in Oxford, Michigan on Tuesday, November 30. The teenager, who happened to be a sophomore student at the school, has now been taken into custody. The victims of the shooting who lost their lives include 16-year-old Tate Myre and two girls, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and Hanna St. Julian, 14. Among the 8 wounded, there is one teacher and two other critically injured students who had to undergo surgeries.
The suspect has not been named officially since he is underage, but internet sleuths have already uncovered a shocking detail about him. The teen shooter allegedly maintained a countdown on his Instagram account a day prior to the shooting. "See you tomorrow, Oxford," he reportedly mentioned in his Instagram bio, a warning that was missed out on by his classmates or teachers. Other harrowing details about the shooter have surfaced, including the fact that his father had bought him the gun.
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Oxford school shooting: Who was Hanna St Julian? Girl, 14, identified as 3rd victim
In a press conference after the suspect's arrest, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard revealed some early findings from the shooting, including the fact that the suspect "acted alone". The 15-year-old was not wearing any body armor and emerged with the gun from a bathroom.
Meanwhile, internet sleuths have found that the suspect had creepy and ominous photos posted on his Instagram account, where he started the alleged countdown before the shooting, terming it 'Return of The Devil'. Survivors of the shooting are also saying that the suspect had specific targets whom he attacked first. However, it is unclear how the suspect and the victims were connected.
A video clip from inside the school at the time of the shooting is going viral on social media. Captured on someone's phone camera, the clip shows a bunch of students locked up and hiding inside a dark classroom while an adult guards the door. The person at the door, later identified as the school's Sign Language teacher Moises Cortez, refuses to open the door to the suspect despite him insisting several times. The shooter can be heard addressing him as "bro" and insisting that he was a local sheriff who would protect them. Later the students escaped to safety through a window while the suspect was nabbed by the local police shortly afterward.
Prior emails from the school's principal show that the suspect was blacklisted previously for shocking offenses on school premises. In one of the incidents, he allegedly threw the head of a dead deer into a locked courtyard while on the roof. He also painted threatening messages on the school walls. However, the principal had reassured parents that the person was not a threat.
The suspect's shooting weapon has been identified as a 9MM Sig Sauer SP2022 pistol, that still had seven rounds when it was confiscated. Reportedly, the gun was purchased just four days ago on November 26 by the suspect's father, along with three ammunition magazines. It's unclear as of now why he purchased the gun, and how his son got a hold of it. Police have also executed a search warrant of the teen's home, seizing multiple items including a phone. They are also examining his social media history, where it is believed he uploaded pictures of the target and the weapon. Social media users have also found a photo of the suspect with the gun in his pocket days before the shooting. In fact, it is being claimed that his mother 'bragged' about taking him to practice shooting the high-powered handgun.