Six Michigan juveniles charged for allegedly threatening violence against schools in wake of Oxford shooting
Six teenagers in Michigan are facing charges for allegedly making violent threats against multiple schools and another has been charged for allegedly possessing a weapon in a school zone, the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office announced Saturday. The charges come days after a shooting at a high school in Oxford, Michigan, that left four students dead and seven other people wounded.
"There is a stranglehold on Southeastern Michigan now," prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement Saturday. "Thankfully, these matters were all thwarted and no one was harmed. While the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office has always tried to be vigilant and proactive in these cases, it does not mean that it will not continue to occur."
Those charged range from 13 to 15 years old. Six were charged with making a false report or threat of terrorism and another, a 13-year-old, was charged with possession of a weapon is a school weapon free zone. None of the teenagers were identified, as they have not been charged as adults.
"I urge everyone to be cautious, to be alert, and above all, immediately report what you know, hear, and see," Worthy said.
Multiple school districts this week told students to stay home as threats of violence poured in following the shooting at. The Holly Michigan Police Department said threats had circulated on social media and included messages saying "someone is going to shoot up" the school.
"Sharing and posting unknown threats is extremely traumatizing to a community already traumatized by a very real tragedy," the Holly police department wrote on Facebook Wednesday.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael J. Bouchard said officials have been inundated with threats, which he called "absolutely absurd," and that various law enforcement offices are investigating them.
"If you make a threat, we're going to investigate it even if it's not credible, even if you don't plan to carry it out," he said in a press conference Saturday. "And if we find you, and we will find you, we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law and one of the possible penalties is up to 20 years. So, it's not funny. It's not a way to get out of school. It's a crime."
Ethan Crumbley, 15, is facing 24 charges, including four counts of first-degree murder and one count of terrorism causing death, for allegedly carrying out the Tuesday shooting at Oxford High School. Crumbley's parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, have also each been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter. James and Jennifer Crumbley were arrested early Saturday morning.