The parents of the suspect accused of shooting up a high school in Michigan were hit with involuntary manslaughter charges on Friday, prosecutors announced.
The suspect, a 15-year-old white male that The Daily Wire is not naming due to company policy about not giving notoriety to alleged mass murderers, is being charged as an adult with two dozen crimes, including murder, attempted murder, and terrorism for the attack this week Oxford High School in Oakland County.
Four students were killed after the suspect opened fire using a handgun that was recently purchased by the suspect’s father.
“The parents were the only individuals in the position to know the access to weapons,” Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald said Thursday. The gun “seems to have been just freely available to that individual.”
In Michigan, a person can be charged with involuntary manslaughter “if prosecutors believe someone contributed to a situation where harm or death was high,” NBC News reported. “If convicted, they could face up to 15 years in prison.”
McDonald said, “If you own a weapon or possess a weapon and you knowingly allow someone to have free access to it, who you have reason to believe might use it to injure somebody, that is willful and it’s gross negligence and there are lots of criminal consequences for that.”
McDonald detailed disturbing social media messages, messages between the parents and the suspect, and a note that the suspect left on his desk shortly before the shooting.
McDonald said that the parents were immediately summoned to the school upon the discovery of the note, were told that they needed to immediately enter their son into counseling, but rejected removing their son from school at that time.
Prosecutor alleges parents of Oxford High School shooting suspect left gun unlocked and failed to take action on reports of disturbing behavior at school. The mother allegedly wrote in a text to him after one report: "lol I'm not mad at you, you have to learn not to get caught" pic.twitter.com/BiR9VTu1U7
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 3, 2021
“I am not here to say that people shouldn’t own guns,” McDonald continued. “I know a lot, a lot of people who own guns, but they do so responsibly. And it’s your responsibility, it’s your duty to make sure that you don’t give access to this deadly weapon to somebody that you have reason to believe is going to harm someone. And it is our position that on that morning, particularly that morning, but but also the day before, but that morning, looking at that drawing, it’s impossible not to conclude that there was a reason to believe he was going to hurt somebody.”
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald: "I am not here to say that people shouldn't own guns…It's your responsibility, it's your duty, to make sure that you don't give access to this deadly weapon to somebody that you have reason to believe is going to harm someone." pic.twitter.com/EHEVwOCmli
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 3, 2021
“I want to be really clear that these charges are intended to hold the individuals who contributed to this tragedy accountable, and also send the message that gun owners have a responsibility,” McDonald continued. “When they fail to uphold that responsibility, there are serious and criminal consequences. As we work together to honor the lives lost and all of those impacted by the evil acts this week, justice for the victims and their families is at the forefront of today’s announcement. We need to do better in this country. We need to say enough is enough for our kids, our teachers, parents, for all of us in this community and the communities across this nation.”
Prosecutor says charges against Oxford High School shooting suspect's parents are meant to "send a message that gun owners have a responsibility. When they fail to uphold that responsibility, there are serious and criminal consequences…We need to say enough is enough" pic.twitter.com/KtixV0AL9q
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 3, 2021
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