The Oxford Community School superintendent issued a statement on Tuesday clarifying the sequence of events that took place before and after a mass shooting took place at the Michigan school on November 30, 2021.
Several disturbing events took place at the Oxford school, some 50 kilometres from Detroit, leading up to the shooting: a deer head was found on November 4, followed by the discovery of a bird’s head in a jar on November 11. Reports also claimed that live ammunition had been found in the school prior to the mass shooting.
Also read | Michigan school shooting: Timeline of events
Addressing these issues, superintendent Tim Throne said that the deer head discovered on November 4 had been investigated by law enforcement and was “in no way related to the perpetrator of the November 30 incident.”
Throne said that law enforcement had also been informed of the discovery of a bird’s head in a jar in a washroom, but the investigation found no evidence that linked it to the shooter. The superintendent added that there existed no explanation for “the strange act” to the best of authorities’ knowledge.
The superintendent went on to dismiss the allegations that live ammunition had been found on the school’s campus, saying, “we have no record or report of live ammunition ever being reported at any school” in the community.
He further said all tips forwarded to law enforcement had been investigated prior to the November 30 mass shooting but none of the tips had been actionable.
Throne went on to clarify that the district had been unaware of the perpetrator’s social media presence and his social media posts prior to the November 30 shooting.
He concluded his statement saying that the school administration takes the safety of its students “very seriously and will continue to listen to students and parents who report threats to the district.”
Also read | More details emerge about teen in Michigan school shooting
The mass shooting on November 30, carried out by 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley, left at least seven people, including one teacher, injured, and four students dead.
Following the incident, school authorities were accused of negligence as Ethan had given off warning signs on social media leading up to the incident. Ethan faces 24 charges including murder and terrorism, while his parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are facing charges of involuntary manslaughter.
