Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Oxford High School shooter, has been found guilty in the trial related to the tragic shooting that took place on November 30, 2021. The shooter, who was 15 years old at the time, killed four students and injured several others. Throughout the trial, Crumbley maintained that there were no signs of her son’s mental illness, but evidence presented during the trial suggested otherwise.
A pre-trial psychiatric assessment revealed that the shooter had a history of suicidal thoughts and bizarre behavior. He had sent text messages to his parents about demons and hallucinations and had made drawings depicting bloody bodies with ominous messages. Despite these warning signs, the Crumbleys admitted to purchasing the firearm used in the shooting as a gift for their son and even took him to a gun range to practice.
The prosecution faced a challenging task in convincing the jury that the Crumbleys could have foreseen the shooting, rather than just proving that they could have prevented it. However, it appears that Jennifer Crumbley’s insistence on her son being a normal kid without any significant issues may have swayed the jury. Ultimately, she was found guilty on four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
The guilty verdict holds significant weight as it sheds light on the lack of laws in Michigan regarding the prevention of such incidents. At the time of the shooting, there were no laws in place requiring parents to keep firearms out of their children’s hands, regardless of warning signs. This fact made the prosecution’s case an uphill battle.
However, following the shooting at Michigan State University almost a year later, the state Legislature took action. Laws were passed requiring universal background checks, secure storage of firearms, and allowing judges to remove firearms from dangerous individuals. These laws are set to become effective soon and have garnered support from a majority of Michiganders.
The need for gun reform is evident when considering the statistics surrounding accidental child shootings. Guns became the leading cause of death among American children two years ago. A study found that 34% of gun deaths among children under 5 are accidental, with 64% of these accidents happening at home with a family member’s unsecured weapon. The majority of these incidents involve small children shooting themselves or boys aged 10-14 shooting a friend. In 92% of accidental child shootings, the firearm was loaded and unsecured.
The passing of laws requiring safe storage of firearms aims to hold parents accountable for their children accessing guns and to change behavior regarding responsible gun ownership. State Senator Mallory McMorrow, who co-sponsored these laws, hopes that this ruling and the new legislation will make every adult think twice about gun safety.
While it is challenging to determine whether specific actions or decisions could have prevented tragedies like the one in Oxford, passing gun reform laws decades ago could have potentially saved lives. The availability of affordable biometric gun safes makes it clear that there are no more excuses for unsafe storage of firearms.
The conviction of Jennifer Crumbley serves as a reminder of the importance of recognizing warning signs and taking action to prevent such horrific incidents. It is a step towards holding individuals accountable for their role in ensuring gun safety.
