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Sheriff Bouchard provides insight on school meetings with Oxford High School shooting suspect

Posted at 4:35 PM, Dec 02, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-02 18:21:11-05

PONTIAC, Mich. (WXYZ) — Several people inside Oxford High School have told us they have not gotten answers from school administrators about two meetings held with the 15-year-old sophomore charged with Terrorism, Murder and Attempted Murder in the shootings on Tuesday.

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard is leading the criminal investigation.

He revealed yesterday the meetings with the student, Ethan Crumbley, and school officials the day before and, in the second meeting the day of the shooting Crumbley's parents were in the meeting.

We're getting some new information from Sheriff Bouchard in an exclusive interview with 7 Action News.

Sheriff Bouchard says school officials are cooperating with the criminal investigation and they know what was discussed in the two meetings.

QUESTION ONE: Were there warning signs that were made aware to school officials that perhaps someone missed?

In hindsight, where we all have 2020 vision, do I wish we would have been drawn into this information prior? Absolutely. Obviously, this is all part of the investigation and is part of our evidence and our process now, because we've transferred over into the prosecution side. So I can't get into specific evidentiary issues, because we certainly don't want to jeopardize prosecution.

QUESTION TWO: After that meeting that morning, he was returned to class. Is that your understanding?

Correct.

Q: And did anybody search a backpack, which theoretically he could have been carrying the gun at that time, correct?

To my knowledge, no.

Q: But he could have had the gun with him this whole time?

Could have.

QUESTION THREE: Were the parents given any instructions on how to proceed after that meeting?

I again, I can't get into what was said or done in that meeting for evidentiary reasons. But there was discussions.

QUESTION FOUR: As you've told the community, if you see something, say something. Did school officials do that?

Well, again, in hindsight, now that we know all that we know certainly we wish we would have been brought into that meeting or informed of that meeting.