Michigan school shooting: Police takes parents of alleged shooter in custody

The parents of the alleged Michigan school shooter were taken into custody, the police confirmed on Saturday.

James and Jennifer Crumbley have been charged with involuntary manslaughter for buying their son the weapon as a Christmas gift and ignoring warning signs as late as the day of the shooting.

Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the parents committed “egregious” acts and failed to stop the tragedy.

"These charges are intended to hold the individuals who contributed to this tragedy accountable and also send the message that gun owners have a responsibility," McDonald said at a press conference.

"While the shooter was the one who entered the high school and pulled the trigger, there are other individuals who contributed to the events on November 30."

Also read | Michigan school shooting: 15-year-old student, Ethan Crumbley, charged as an adult

A fugitive warrant had been issued for the couple and the US Marshals had announced a reward of up to $10,000 each for information leading to the Crumbleys’ arrest.

Their 15-year-old son, Ethan Crumbley, killed four students in the hallway of Oxford High School north of Detroit and six more were wounded.

Ethan Crumbley has been charged as an adult with state murder and terror charges.

Also read | What we know about the Michigan high school shooting

He was with his father at the time of the purchase at a local firearms store and the teen posted a picture of the gun on his Instagram account, writing "just got my new beauty today" along with a heart emoji.  

Under Michigan law, the involuntary manslaughter charge filed against the parents can be pursued if authorities believe someone contributed to a situation where there was a high chance of harm or death.

However, in the US, parents are rarely charged in school shootings involving their children, even as most minors get guns from a parent or relative’s house.

(With inputs from agencies)