As Outrage Builds Over Ethan Crumbley's Parents, Could Oxford School Officials Face Charges?

As criticism toward Ethan Crumbley's parents builds, many have also called for a full investigation into the Oxford High School's response to the recent shooting incident that left four dead and several others injured.

Last week, Oxford School District Superintendent Tim Throne announced that he will hire an outside agency to conduct an investigation into high school officials' response to Crumbley's behavior before the shooting.

"Our community and our families deserve a full, transparent accounting of what occurred," Throne told community members, according to the Detroit Free Press.

Shortly after the announcement, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said that her office reached out to the school district offering to lead the independent investigation.

"We have reached out to the attorney for the Oxford Community School District and have offered the services of the Michigan Departmemt [sic] of Attorney General to conduct a full and comprehensive review of the 11/30/21 shooting and the events leading up to it," Nessel wrote in a tweet on Sunday.

Nessel also told NewsNation Now that "anything is possible" when asked about potential charges for officials at the Oxford High School following the shooting incident.

"As soon as I saw they were seeking a third party to do an alleged independent review, I immediately contacted their attorney to say the department of attorney general here in Michigan will conduct that review. And why that is so important is really a variety of issues" Nessel told the outlet. "Firstly, as you have identified, is it really an independent review when it's the district that has paid your bill and is hiring you in order to conduct the review."

During the interview, Nessel was also asked about the situation if the school district refuses to let her office lead the independent investigation, to which she replied by saying that she "technically" has "criminal jurisdiction in every county in the state of Michigan."

She continued, "I plan to meet with the parents in the community, find out a little bit about what their feelings are, what their thoughts are, what questions they have, that they'd like to see answered."

On Monday, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald suggested that charges could be filed against school officials as her office continues to investigate the incident.

"In this case, a lot could have been done different. I mean at that meeting he was allowed to go back to school," McDonald said during an interview with ABC's Good Morning America.

"We know that he either had that weapon with him or someplace where he could have stored it in the school," she said. "But he had it in the school, there's no question. And leaving the decision to parents about whether he goes home or not."

The comments by Nessel come shortly after McDonald detailed two incidents Crumbley had with Oxford High School officials before the shooting.

According to McDonald, one day before the shooting, a teacher noticed Crumbley searching ammunition on his phone and reported it to school counselors. On the day of the shooting, a teacher saw numerous drawings on Crumbley's desk, including one with a gun that appeared to be shooting a person. Crumbley's parents were alerted of the incidents but he remained in school after a meeting and, eventually, allegedly carried out the shooting.

Crumbley has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and several other charges related to the shooting. Crumbley's parents have also been charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter as McDonald alleged that the parents were aware of Crumbley's access to the gun and failed to stop him.

Newsweek reached out to Oxford High School for further comment.