OAKLAND COUNTY, MI – Convicted school shooter Ethan Crumbley is sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars, without parole, as handed down by Oakland County Judge, Kwamé Rowe on Friday. In 2021, aged 15, Crumbley executed a deadly shooting at Oxford High School, claiming four lives and injuring seven others.
Crumbley expressed guilt for murder victims Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17. Prior to sentencing, Crumbley addressed the court briefly, acknowledging culpability and pledging to strive for self-improvement whilst in custody.
Involved in the sentencing decision were numerous statements from survivors and those impacted by the school shooting, which Judge Rowe meticulously studied over a 36-hour period. Rowe referred to the massacre as Crumbley’s bid for notoriety, calling it a “true act of terrorism.”
As Crumbley was underage at the time of the crime, a separate hearing was mandatory to judge whether a life sentence was applicable. Judge Rowe in his ruling mentioned that Crumbley’s crime did not mirror youthful indiscretions, and his chances of rehabilitation seemed unlikely.
Despite these severe judgments, loved ones of the victims and the wider Oxford High School community continue to bear the emotional burden of Crumbley’s terrifying crime.
Parents James and Jennifer Crumbley also face legal consequences, with separate charges of involuntary manslaughter. They purportedly bought the handgun their son used in the crime, and are expected to have their trial at a later date due to separate trial requests.