15-year-old Ethan Crumbley has been identified as the suspected gunman in an Oakland, Michigan school shooting. Crumbley is accused of shooting at his classmates in a school hallway, killing four and wounding several others.
Crumbley will stand trial as an adult and was placed in county jail as opposed to a juvenile facility. The accused shooter will face one count of terrorism causing death, a charge not often brought against suspected mass shooters.
Crumbley, who was a sophomore at Oxford High School, had posted several violent threats on Instagram prior to the shooting. “Now I become death – destroyer of worlds – see you tomorrow Oxford,” he reportedly wrote on Instagram, according to Fox 2 Detroit.
The account has been deleted but authorities have promised a thorough review of Crumbley’s social media accounts in search of a motive.
Some students stayed home on the day of the shooting due to the violent threats. The school had reportedly been made aware of Crumbley’s alarming social media posts as well.
“We are aware of the numerous rumors that have been circulating throughout our building this week. We understand that has created some concern for students and parents,” the district said in a November 12 statement. “Student interpretations of social media posts and false information have exacerbated the overall concern.
“We want our parents and students to know there has been no threat to our building nor our students,” the statement continued.
According to law enforcement officials, the 9MM Sig Sauger SP 2022 pistol used in the shooting was purchased by Crumbley’s father on Black Friday. “It’s my understanding, again, that this was a recent weapon purchase,” Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said Tuesday night. A SWAT team conducted a raid of Crumbley’s home not long after the shooting and removed several guns.
A video taken from a classroom appeared to depict Crumbley posing as a sheriff’s deputy in order to gain entry to the room. Law enforcement officials have stated that this is inaccurate. The person at the door was a plainclothes officer who was “speaking conversationally” in an attempt to calm the students, officials said.
