A Michigan detective testified Tuesday that James Crumbley, whose son Ethan shot 11 people during a November 2021 high school massacre, kept guns in a safe with a combination of 0-0-0.
Police located a pair of .22-caliber firearms in that lockbox during a search of the Crumbley family home, according to CNN. The safe was kept in a dresser drawer, where cops also found ammunition.
James Crumbley is on trial for manslaughter in connection to the mass shooting at Oxford High School carried out when his son was 15 years old. The teenager opened fire on classmates with a SIG Sauer 9mm handgun given to him by his parents. Four students were killed and six were wounded. A teacher was also shot.
The teenager pleaded guilty to the killings in 2022 and is serving a life sentence. His mother, Jennifer Crumbley, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter last month. She’ll be sentenced on April 9 and could serve up to 15 years in prison, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Both parents are accused of enabling Ethan Crumbley’s actions by ignoring warning signs he could be dangerous.
A teacher told the Crumbleys their son was making drawings of violent images and writing things like “The thoughts won’t stop” and “Help me,” but they didn’t act. His mom allegedly told the teenager to be more discreet after an educator caught him shopping for ammunition online during class.
James Crumbley purchased the murder weapon used by his son less than a week before the killings. He told police the gun and its case were kept “hidden” in an armoire and the bullets were stashed separately.
He also told investigators in 2021 the combination to the safe in his dresser drawer had four digits when it only had three, CNN reported.
Witnesses at James Crumbley’s trial wiped away tears as they saw security video from the bloodbath Tuesday. The defendant reportedly became emotional as well.
