A sophomore from Oxford High School in Michigan went on a shooting spree at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 30, leaving eight injured and four classmates dead.
The Christian Headlines said the 15-year-old shooter, whose name has not been disclosed, open-fired at 1 p.m. on his classmates with unknown motives as of this time.
CBN News highlighted that the suspect immediately surrendered by putting his hands in the air while exiting the bathroom, but still holding the gun as the deputies arrived, in Oxford High School following a barrage of 911 calls regarding the incident. Accordingly, more than 100 calls were received by 911 dispatchers around noon time on reports of a shooter in the school.
The Oakland County Sheriff's Office released the names of the casualties on Wednesday and also expressed sympathies to their families. The students who died are 16-year-old boy Tate Myre, who expired on the way to the hospital on board a deputy's patrol car; a 14-year-old girl, Hana St. Juliana, and a 17-year-old girl, Madisyn Baldwin.
Those injured were around 14 to 17 years old, as well as a teacher who got a "graze wound to the shoulder." All injured were brought to the hospital for confinement, except the teacher who has already gone home.
Initial investigation showed that the shooter used a 9mm Sig Sauer that his father newly purchased. The shooter even posted on social media about practicing with the gun prior to the incident, calling it "the target and the weapon." The shooter had no criminal records nor any disciplinary records in school. Threats of a shooting spree in school also circulated in social media prior to the actual incident.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said investigations on the shooter's motives are being made. He also said that the suspect's easy arrest by the deputies have saved many lives, considering the gun still had seven more rounds of ammunition.
"That's part of our investigation to determine what happened prior to this event and if some signs were missed, how were they missed and why," Bouchard said.
"I believe they literally saved lives having taken down the suspect with a loaded firearm while still in the building," he added.
Bouchard also disclosed that "the person that's got the most insight and the motive is not talking" to them for the case. Undersheriff Mike McCabe explained that the shooter's parents have advised their son to keep silent and not talk to investigators. As such, police are to get permission for the parents' approval for the suspect to speak to them, which would follow once charges have been issued from the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office.
They are also looking to get evidence from the suspect's social media posts and cellphone, as well as the school's video footage.
In line with the incident, Oxford High School announced that the school and the rest of the schools in the district would be closed for the rest of the week. All events scheduled in the school for the said period were also canceled.
LakePoint Community Church, who had 20 to 25 congregants studying in Oxford High School, held a vigil for the incident that left them all "scared" and feeling "awful."
Meanwhile, the grandmother of one of the victims, Madisyn Baldwin, created an online fundraiser for the needs of the family as they attend to their "unbelievable tragedy." The GoFundMe goal was set to $30,000 and has, as of this writing, exceeded the amount at $82,802 from more than 1,600 people donating.
