Oxford, Michigan – The trial of the mother of the Oxford High School shooter continued on Thursday with Jennifer Crumbley testifying on her own behalf. She claimed that she thought her son was going to harm himself, not others, on the day of the shooting. Crumbley testified that when she learned there was an active shooter at the school, she did not believe her son had injured or killed anyone, but rather feared that he was planning to take his own life.
The events leading up to the shooting were recounted by Crumbley, who stated that she and her husband had been at the school just hours before the incident for a meeting with their son and a counselor. Concerns about the shooter’s mental state had been raised by the counselor, and multiple teachers had expressed worry regarding his behavior. Crumbley claimed it was a mutual decision to allow her son to return to class after the meeting, despite drawing disturbing images and phrases on an assignment prior to the shooting.
Following the shooting, Crumbley received a text from her son expressing love, which she did not see until after she learned about the active shooter at the school. She then texted her son, asking if he was okay, as she began heading to the school. Her husband notified her that their new 9mm handgun was missing, leading her to fear that her son had the gun, although she initially thought he might be in a field near the school, not actually at the school.
Crumbley explained that she thought her son intended to harm himself, not others, and testified that she texted him, “don’t do it,” out of fear that he was going to kill himself. This text has been brought up by prosecutors to suggest that the mother had an idea that her son was capable of causing harm. Crumbley faces four counts of involuntary manslaughter for the murders committed by her son. Defense attorney Shannon Smith finished her direct questioning of Crumbley, with the prosecutors scheduled to begin their cross-examination on the following day.