Thursday, March 14, 2024

PONTIAC, Mich. - On Thursday, March 14, 2024, jurors found James Crumbley guilty on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter for his role in the mass shooting at Oxford High School on November 30, 2021, that ended the lives of Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, and Justin Shilling. Oakland County Prosecutor KAREN D. McDONALD held a press conference at her office in Pontiac Thursday evening alongside the victims' families.

"This verdict marks a moment of accountability. No verdict can bring back Madisyn, Tate, Hana, or Justin, and it will not take the pain away for these families and our community," Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. "Because of the gross negligence of both James and Jennifer Crumbley, four children are dead. They did not pull the trigger that day, but if they had done even the smallest of things, this tragedy would not have happened."

Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the shooter, was also found guilty on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter in February, making them the first parents in the nation to be held criminally accountable for a school shooting. Their son, the shooter, pled guilty to all 24 counts brought against him, including Terrorism Causing Death. After a Miller hearing last summer, the shooter was sentenced to life without parole by Judge Kwame Rowe on December 8, 2023.

"Nothing will bring our children back. But, there is some comfort in knowing that the parents who armed their son so he could commit such a terrible crime are being held accountable. Our hope is that this is a first step in an effort to hold all those responsible and accountable and end gun violence so that we finally end the cycle of families feeling the pain that we do. We thank our Prosecutor Karen McDonald for pursuing these charges and seeking justice for our families and community," said the parents of Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, and Justin Shilling who have united as Families for Change.

In September 2022, Prosecutor McDonald launched the Commission to Address Gun Violence, bringing together local and national experts, including first responders, elected officials, faith leaders, health experts, individuals who have been impacted by gun violence, and more. The Commission met, shared expertise and resources, and then collaborated to develop evidence-based recommendations to address gun violence and its root causes. The Commission expects to release its recommendations in May.

Sentencing for Jennifer and James Crumbley is scheduled for 9 a.m. April 9, 2024.

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