Oxford families greet verdict with gratitude. One calls it a 'huge win for our country'

Families affected by the Oxford High School shooting greeted Tuesday's guilty verdict for the mother of the Oxford killer on involuntary manslaughter charges with responses ranging from pleased to surprised to relieved.

Buck Myre, whose son, 16-year-old Tate, was gunned down in the November 2021 attack on the northern Oakland County high school, said he was surprised by the jury's decision to find Jennifer Crumbley guilty on all four counts of involuntary manslaughter connected to the deaths of four students. Seven others were wounded in the attack carried out by Crumbley's then-15-year-old son.

"I'm actually surprised. The people decided, and that's how the system should work," Myre said of the jury's decision.

Also killed in the attack were Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17.

Several parents of the victims attended some or all of the seven-day trial in Pontiac, including Steve St. Juliana, Craig Shilling and Madisyn's mother, Nicole Beausoleil.

Meghan Gregory, whose son Keegan witnessed the shooting and escaped the school, said Tuesday she was feeling an overwhelming feeling of gratitude.

"I believe this is a huge win for our country," Gregory said. "Change needs to happen for future generations. Holding parents accountable for their inaction to provide ordinary care is necessary for the safety of all children. The evidence was all there!"

Attorney Wolfgang Mueller, who represents Beausoleil and Sandra Cunningham, the mother of Oxford High student Phoebe Arthur who was shot in the attack, said both of his clients are pleased by the verdict.

"My clients are pleased that a parent is being held accountable for her reprehensible conduct," Mueller said. "But this trial is gut-wrenching. The failures of the parents and school district employees, as well as the shooter’s actions, caused four children to never come home to their families."

"And while the loss of a child is the worst pain a parent can imagine, the survivors will suffer for the rest of their lives. That should not be forgotten," Mueller said.

The verdict capped a nationally watched trial that marked the first time a parent had been tried in connection with a mass shooting by his or her child. Prosecutors portrayed Crumbley, 45, as a negligent parent who ignored signs her teen son was in crisis, never got him help and bought him a 9mm gun anyway.

But her attorney described Crumbley as a caring parent and argued that there was no way the Nov. 30, 2021 shooting was foreseeable.

Jace McCarthy, a student at Oxford High School when the attack happened in 2021, said he watched the case in person and online. McCarthy said he was surprised by his own reaction to the verdict.

"I actually yelped in joy. I was very excited. It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. It was very good to hear," said McCarthy, now 21.

McCarthy spoke as a victim at Ethan Crumbley's sentencing last December and said he knew that day the killer was going away to prison for life.

"For the mom, I was teetering on the edge on whether she could get off or there could be a mistrial," McCarthy said.

While a guilty verdict does not change what happened, he said it does send a message.

"It sets this foundation for the next generation of shooters and parents who think that it's OK to give a kid a gun or not safely lock it up or follow the law," McCarthy said.

Andrea Jones, a parent in Oxford schools who sued the district over the deadly shooting, attended the trial and watched the verdict.

"I felt that it was justice for those families, and it's another step in accountability. We still have the school" to hold accountable, Jones said.

"I was worried about a hung jury for a little bit there. I know there was evidence that could not be presented. I am so grateful they took their time and went through the evidence," she added.

"It has been anxious all week. With the verdict in, we are all in shock. It's here, it's happened." she said.

Jones said Jennifer Crumbley did not show remorse for her actions or what happened during the trial.

"It was all about her. The day of the shooting, we all rushed to that school. We would do anything for our kids. They went to their house to look for the gun," Jones said of husband James Crumbley, who faces trial next month on the same charges.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer thanked Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald for her work on the case.

"I’m thinking of the families in Oxford who lost loved ones and all the members of the community who bear scars — both seen and unseen — from that tragic day," Whitmer said in a statement.

"They’ve been strong through unimaginable grief, working hard to bring justice for their loved ones and honor those they lost with action. I want to thank Karen McDonald for centering the families and community at every step of this case."

Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said: "The guilty verdict is a strong signal and an important step toward accountability. Let us all embrace the community with love and the continued support they need on their path toward healing."

jchambers@detroitnews.com