Suspect in Oxford high shooting met with staff over behavior ahead of rampage

Pontiac — Before he allegedly carried out a shooting at Oxford High School, the 15-year-old student accused in the rampage took part in a meeting with his parents and school officials over his "concerning" behavior in the classroom, authorities said Wednesday. 

Ethan Crumbley and his parents had a face-to-face meeting with school administrators shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said. The day prior, he said, Cumbley also was called in for a meeting with school personnel. 

Bouchard declined to discuss specifics of the Tuesday meeting that took place just hours before Crumbley allegedly emerged from a bathroom and began shooting in hallways. Four students were killed and seven others were injured. 

The school had no prior disciplinary or behavioral complaints involving Crumbley and there were no reports that he'd faced bullying, Bouchard added. 

"Regardless of what he faced, there is no excuse for those senseless actions." the sheriff told reporters during a Wednesday afternoon news briefing. 

Bouchard praised the county's prosecutor for charging Crumbley as an adult. 

Crumbley, he said, fired 30 rounds during the five-minute ordeal. He had three, 15-round magazines, the sheriff added. 

"I agree with the charges that have been levied," Bouchard said. "I agree with holding this individual wholly and completely responsible for the deplorable, tragic event that occurred by choice."

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said just ahead of Bouchard's news update that she charged Crumbley with numerous felony counts, including murder and terrorism.

McDonald said she approved charging Crumbley with one count of terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder and 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony. He faces up to life in prison without parole if convicted as charged.

There's "a mountain of digital evidence," McDonald said, including social media and videotape, and her office is confident that the shootings were "absolutely premeditated."

"This is unspeakable," she told reporters during a Wednesday afternoon briefing. "We send our kids to school and we think that they're going to be safe."

Crumbley is set to be arraigned Wednesday afternoon, Bouchard said. He was being held at Children's Village in Pontiac and wasn't injured. 

Authorities intend to ask the judge presiding over the arraignment, he said, to transfer Crumbley over to the Oakland County Jail.

Bouchard said late Tuesday Crumbley had been armed with a semi-automatic handgun that his father bought on Nov. 26.

Those killed in the shooting were: 14-year old Hana St. Juliana, 17-year old Madisyn Baldwin, 16-year old Tate Myre and Justin Shilling, 17.

Of the seven injured, four remain hospitalized and three were treated and released, Bouchard said. 

A 14-year-old male victim with a gunshot wound to the jaw and hand has been released, he said, while a 14-year-old female who was in grave condition has improves. A 17-year-old female shot in the chest remains critical. 

Authorities executed a search warrant on Crumbley's family home on Tuesday. He said "property" was seized, but did not list an inventory. 

Bouchard lamented Wednesday that "social media is disseminating false information."

A social media video floating around, he said, is allegedly depicting the suspect knocking on a door and trying to get in, but that actually was footage of a deputy sheriff.

The suspect, he said, "never knocked on a door," Bouchard said, citing an examination of the surveillance video.

The sheriff also noted a Nov. 11 notification that went out to families was related to "a different set of circumstances," and was "completely unrelated."

jdickson@detroitnews.com