As usual we have the story of an individual shooter mixed in with a larger story. I wish we could take the emotion triggered by the story out of the question of how do we deal with guns in the home being used by teenagers acting out at school. We might get better answers if we focused on the human issues instead of the simplistic condemnation of some parent who unwisely gave his child a firearm.
Update -
Parents of suspected Michigan H.S. shooter are charged with involuntary manslaughter
By Tim Stelloh
The parents of a teenager accused of killing four students at a Michigan high school were charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter Friday, the prosecutor told The Associated Press.
Jennifer and James Crumbley were charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter. James Crumbley purchased the weapon for his son days before shooting, according to the sheriff. Under Michigan law, an involuntary manslaughter charge can be pursued if prosecutors believe someone contributed to a situation where harm or death was high. If convicted, they could face up to 15 years in prison.
Ethan Crumbley, 15, has been charged as an adult with two dozen crimes, including murder, attempted murder and terrorism, for the shooting Tuesday at Oxford High School in Oakland County, roughly 30 miles north of Detroit.
In an appearance on NBC News NOW, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said Thursday that it is “clearly a crime” if someone gives a firearm to a minor.
In a separate appearance on MSNBC, the top prosecutor in Oakland County said Thursday that the teen appeared to have “free access” to the gun.
“If you own a weapon or possess a weapon and you knowingly allow someone to have free access to it, who you have reason to believe might use it to injure somebody, that is willful and it’s gross negligence and there are lots of criminal consequences for that,” prosecutor Karen McDonald said.
The Crumbleys have not cooperated with authorities, nor have they given their son permission to talk with investigators, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said.
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We know all this.
Nobody cares, that’s the problem and this information will not change one mind or heart. We live in a gun nutty society where the deaths of murdered children mean absolutely nothing. Nothing. There is no body count high enough to change this, also a known fact.
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The unified universal belief in gun owner infallibility will have the crazies screaming support for the dirtballs … because in the eyes of the gun nuts nobody can ever be wrong if they are wielding a gun (& they’re white) no matter ho heinous, no matter how wretched … hell … this vile couple could run for Governor and Lt Gov. of Idaho or Alabama or Tennessee and Tucker Carlson & Trump & the NRA & Ted Cruz & Josh Hawley would all do flying Superman leaps to get on their bandwagon - they would nominate them for “parents of the year”
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The Brits take their ammo-sexuality much more seriously…
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Rep. Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican and his family … apparently expressing his Yuletide best wishes … and solidarity with the shooter and his parents.
Can’t you just hear Massie saying " well,… I’m sure he had his reasons …"
ADDITIONAL THOUGHT / QUESTION …
what on earth possesses people to inject over a half-dozen powerful firearms into a Christmas greeting card - the celebration of the birth of the baby Jesus - the prince pf peace -
Why? Why? this really is sick!
In short: white man’s fear. They’re worried someone will do to them as they’ve done for centuries.
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The heinous mother’s social media posts may end up being very relevant then, as she confesses that it was a present for him, assuming the sheriff is correct.
I nominate for “The Real Outrage,” how rare the Crumbly parents’ arraignment is. How flagrant, obvious and public did their bad acts have to be before a DA could find no choice but to charge them? Parent prosecution should be nearly automatic when their child causes any harm with any gun. Not just when it looks like a slam dunk in the court of public opinion.