Ethan Crumbley, the Michigan teenager who killed four people and wounded more in a high school shooting in 2021, has been sentenced to life in prison.
The shooting took place at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, about 40 miles north of Detroit.
A judge heard from families of the deceased and survivors of the shooting. In total more than 20 people delivered victim impact statements, relating details and memories from the day of the shooting, and discussing trauma that they still experience today.
The shooter was 15 years old at the time of the shooting. He pleaded guilty to 24 charges, among them first-degree murder and terrorism.
He apologized for his actions and vowed to change while serving his sentence.
A life sentence for a minor is rare in Michigan. The U.S. Supreme Court and the state's own high court have held that violent acts by minors should be approached differently than those committed by adults.
The judge rejected arguments from defense lawyers to reduce the sentence.
Crumbley, now 17, will not be eligible for parole.
Crumbley and his parents met with school administrators on the day of the shooting after a teacher noticed he had made violent drawings. He was not checked for weapons at the time.
The school hired an independent group to investigate the shooting, which released a report in October that stated there had been "missteps at each level" across the school's board, administration and staff which all contributed to the shooting outcome.
Ethan Crumbley's parents Jennifer and James Crumbley are detained in county jail, awaiting trial for involuntary manslaughter. They are accused of leaving a gun accessible and of neglecting their son's mental health.
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