On Friday, a Michigan judge sentenced a teenager to life in prison for killing four students, wounding more, and terrorizing Oxford High School in 2021. Ethan Crumbley, 17, will not be eligible for parole, despite pleas for a shorter sentence. The decision comes after the U.S. Supreme Court and the state’s highest court ruled that violent acts of minors must be viewed differently than those of adults.
The families of the deceased and survivors spoke about the tragedy’s impact on their lives. Judge Kwame Rowe listened to their anguished remarks, saying, “Your statements do not fall on deaf ears.” Crumbley had pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism.
Buck Myre, father of Tate Myre, said, “We are miserable. We miss Tate. Our family has a permanent hole in it that can never be fixed — ever.” Nicole Beausoleil recalled seeing her daughter Madisyn Baldwin’s body at the medical examiner’s office. She said, “I looked though the glass. My scream should have shattered it.”
Jill Soave, mother of Justin Shilling, told the shooter that he had executed a boy who could have been his friend if only he had asked. Kylie Ossege, who was shot and continues to struggle with daily pain from spinal injuries, explained how she had urged Hana St. Juliana to keep breathing until help arrived. St. Juliana died.
The defense attorney argued that Crumbley deserved an opportunity for parole after his “sick brain” was fixed through counseling and rehabilitation. Steve St. Juliana, Hana’s father, said, “There can be no rehabilitation. There is absolutely nothing the defendant can do to earn my forgiveness. His age plays no part.”
In a journal, the shooter wrote about his desire to watch students suffer and the likelihood that he would spend his life in prison. He made a video on the eve of the shooting, declaring what he would do the next day. More than 20 people gave victim-impact statements. Some wore shirts honoring the fallen students.
Speakers recalled the day and its aftermath in details large and small. Linda Watson said her son, Aiden, who was shot in the leg, still doesn’t go to school for a full day. She recalled the family staying in a hotel because a nail gun being used in her neighborhood sounded like a real gun to him.
The shooter’s parents, Jennifer and James Crumbley, are awaiting trial on involuntary manslaughter charges. They are accused of making a gun accessible at home and neglecting the shooter’s mental health. The Oxford school district hired an outside group to conduct an independent investigation. The report said “missteps at each level” contributed to the tragedy.
The tragedy has left a lasting impact on the community. But the families of the victims have found strength in each other and in the support of their community. They have been able to find joy in the little things, like swinging a leg over a horse, and have been able to move forward with their lives despite the tragedy.
The families of the victims have shown remarkable resilience and courage in the face of tragedy. They have found strength in each other and in the support of their community. The tragedy has left a lasting impact on the community, but the families of the victims have been able to find joy in the little things and have been able to move forward with their lives.
