Teen charged in Michigan school shooting to pursue insanity defense

Ethan Crumbley, 15, is charged as an adult with murder and other crimes for the shooting at Oxford High School on Nov. 30.

SHARE Teen charged in Michigan school shooting to pursue insanity defense
The American flag flies at half-staff on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021, outside of Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan.

Ethan Crumbley, 15, is expected to undergo mental health exams after filing a notice of an insanity defense Thursday.

AP file

SOUTHFIELD, Mich. — Attorneys say a teenager charged with killing four students at Michigan high school will pursue an insanity defense.

A notice was filed Thursday, according to a summary of case filings available online.

The notice should trigger mental health exams of 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley, who is charged as an adult with murder and other crimes for the shooting at Oxford High School on Nov. 30 that killed four students and wounded six other students and a teacher.

The notice comes the same day as a new lawsuit was filed alleging negligence by school officials and Crumbley’s parents over the attack.

The lawsuit was announced by Detroit-area attorney Ven Johnson on behalf of the parents of Tate Myer, who was slain Nov. 30, and other students who witnessed the shootings.

“We’re sad and heartbroken — our lives forever changed,” William Myre said at a news conference. “Our family will never be the same. We’re not doing good. All we do is walk around the house and think about Tate.”

The lawsuit, which seeks at least $25,000, names Oxford High School’s dean of students, two counselors and three teachers as defendants. The shooting suspect and his parents also are named as defendants.

The Associated Press sent an email Thursday morning seeking comment from the school district.

The suspect’s parents are accused of intentional, reckless and negligent conduct that led to the mass shooting. The Oxford High School staff and teachers are accused of gross negligence that led to the shooting by not removing the shooter from the school building earlier.

The lawsuit was filed Thursday in Oakland County Circuit Court on behalf of Tate Myer’s parents, William and Sheri. Also named as plaintiffs are Chad and Meghan Gregory, whose son, Keegan, was hiding in a school bathroom with Justin Shilling when Shilling was fatally shot.

The lawsuit also was filed on behalf of Lauren Aliano, whose daughters, Sophia Kempen and Grace Kempen, were hiding in classrooms during the shooting.

A fellow student, Ethan Crumbley, 15, is charged as an adult with murder and other crimes. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, later were charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Prosecutors have said the gun used in the shooting was bought days before by James Crumbley and their son had full access to it.

The lawsuit filed Thursday says Keegan Gregory was texting his family from the bathroom stall “and describing these horrific events” as Shilling was shot.

Ethan Crumbley “then ordered Keegan out of the stall and onto the floor, whereupon Keegan instead dashed out the bathroom door to safety,” the lawsuit read.

The school is about 30 miles north of Detroit. It reopened Monday with its interior renovated since the shooting.

In December, Jeffrey and Brandi Franz filed a pair of lawsuits in federal court and county circuit court seeking $100 million each against the district. Their 17-year-old daughter, Riley, was shot in the neck. Her 14-year-old sister, Bella, a ninth grader, was next to her at the time she was shot.

Their lawsuit says school officials and high school staff didn’t do enough to prevent the shooting and protect students.

The Latest
Following its launch, the popular Mediterranean restaurant is set to open a second area outlet this summer in Vernon Hills.
Like no superhero movie before it, subversive coming-of-age story reinvents the villain’s origins with a mélange of visual styles and a barrage of gags.
A 66-year-old woman was dragged into the street in the 600 block of North Fairbanks Avenue by two armed robbers who fired shots, police said.
They have abandoned their mom and say relationship won’t resume until she stops ‘taking the money’ from her alcoholic ex.
Twenty-five years later, the gun industry’s greed and elected leaders’ cowardice continue to prevail, the head of the National Urban League writes.