OXFORD (Michigan, US), Dec 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — US Marshals are offering a $10,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of the parents of a teenager suspected of a deadly school shooting.
James and Jennifer Crumbley are accused of ignoring warning signs before the rampage that left four students dead.
They have been charged with involuntary manslaughter, but failed to show for their arraignment on Friday.
Ethan Crumbley, 15, is accused of using his father’s gun to shoot classmates in Michigan. He has pleaded not guilty.
Authorities have issued a fugitive warrant for the couple, and told US media they had launched a search for the pair after the Crumbleys’ lawyers were unable to reach them by phone.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the FBI and US Marshals Service joined the search for the couple. But in a joint statement, lawyers Shannon Smith and Mariell Lehman said the Crumbleys were not fleeing law enforcement.
He said they had left town on the night of the shooting “for their own safety”.
Their son is accused of opening fire on fellow students and teachers at his school in Oxford, about 60 km north of Detroit, on Tuesday.
The four killed were Tate Myre, 16, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, Hana St Juliana, 14, and Justin Shilling, 17. Seven others were injured.
Ethan Crumbley is being charged as an adult, and is facing one count of terrorism, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assaults with intent to murder and 12 counts of possession of a firearm.
On Friday, Oakland County lead prosecutor Karen McDonald acknowledged that charging parents in a child’s alleged crime was highly unusual. — NNN-AGENCIES