U.S. NewsCrime

Actions

Final day of pre-sentencing hearing for Oxford High School shooter

The first two days of the hearing last week brought heartbreaking testimony from survivors and new revelations in the investigation.
The father of a slain student watches as the shooter is escorted in court.
Posted at 8:47 AM, Aug 01, 2023

The Oxford High School shooter will be back in Michigan court for the third day of a pre-sentencing Miller hearing on Tuesday morning.

The hearing will determine if the shooter, who was a minor at the time of the shooting, can be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The first two days of the hearing last week brought heartbreaking testimony from survivors and new revelations in the investigation.

On the first day, it focused on how calculated the shooter was in planning the shooting, which left four students dead — Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin — and injured seven others. We saw journal entries saying the shooter was planning it for months, and video recording he took himself justifying his actions.

Life Sentence Sought For Teen In Michigan School Shooting
Ethan Crumbley speaks in court.

Life Sentence Sought For Teen In Michigan School Shooting

Ethan Crumbley's lawyers believe he can be rehabilitated in prison, while prosecutors say life in prison is "appropriate in this case."

LEARN MORE

On the second day, we heard from students and educators who detailed the horror they witnessed inside of the school back in November 2021. The school's assistant principal described her efforts to save Myre and a student barely escaping the shooter after witnessing him kill Shilling.

"I was telling them to keep giving breaths, he needs air. So much blood, he was all over me," the assistant principal said.

"He signaled me and moved the gun. I ran behind his back and out the door. I realized if I stayed I was going to die," the student said.

The defense also began presenting its case, with a psychologist taking the stand insisting anyone, including the shooter, could be rehabilitated. The psychologist said because of the shooter's age, he would be in mandatory mental health classes.

Court kicks off at 8:30 a.m. and more witness testimony is expected.

This story was originally published by Kiara Hay at Scripps News Detroit.