This is an ... interesting case right here to say the least.
Jennifer and James Crumbley were convicted on Tuesday of involuntary manslaughter for their role in their 15-year-old son Ethan's school shooting back in 2021, and will serve at least 10 years in prison for their crime. They're the first parents of a U.S. mass shooter to be convicted in this way, setting a precedent that should scare all of us, but also serve as an example of how incredibly important gun safety can be.
A quick reminder of that tragic shooting:
Details:
A teenager pleaded guilty Monday to terrorism and first-degree murder in a Michigan school shooting that killed four students ...
Ethan Crumbley, 16, pleaded guilty to all 24 charges, nearly a year after the attack at Oxford High School in southeastern Michigan.
Just a terribly sad story.
And now James and Jennifer, Ethan's parents, have been convicted along with their son.
Jennifer and James Crumbley did not know Ethan Crumbley had a handgun … in a backpack when he was dropped off at Oxford High School. But prosecutors convinced jurors the parents still played a disastrous role in the violence.
The Crumbleys were accused of not securing the newly purchased gun at home and acting indifferently to signs of their son's deteriorating mental health, especially when confronted with a chilling classroom drawing earlier that same day.
They didn't secure the gun at home. It was fully available for their son to grab that day before school and toss into his backpack. The gun was a gift from his parents, though in Michigan it is illegal for a minor to possess a gun in public without direct adult supervision.
More from the story.
Ethan Crumbley sketched images of a gun, a bullet and a wounded man on a math paper, accompanied by despondent phrases: "The thoughts won't stop. Help me. Blood everywhere. My life is useless."
Ethan Crumbley had told a counselor he was sad — a grandmother had died and his only friend suddenly had moved away — but said the drawing only reflected his interest in creating video games.
His parents were called to a hasty meeting at school that lasted less than 15 minutes. They did not mention that the gun resembled one James Crumbley had purchased just four days earlier, a Sig Sauer 9 mm ...
Jennifer Crumbley described the gun on social media as an early Christmas gift.
So now the shooter's parents will each serve 10 years in prison for their "role" in this whole mess.
The first parents convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting were sentenced to at least 10 years in prison Tuesday as a Michigan judge lamented missed opportunities that could have prevented their teenage son from possessing a gun and killing four students in 2021.
Like it or not, this is what was decided.
How this precedent will be used in the future remains to be seen.
P.S. Now check out our latest video 👇
