Michigan suspect told counselors gun drawing was game design
Guidance counselors told Crumbley's parents that they had to get him into counseling within 48 hours
The Michigan teenager charged with killing four classmates and wounding seven other people at his high school this week told guidance counselors that drawings showing a gun, bullet and a bleeding gunshot victim were part of a video game design.
The information came from a written statement released Saturday by the school district’s superintendent, who hasn’t spoken publicly in the days following Tuesday’s violence.
Oxford Community Schools Superintendent Tim Throne also said guidance counselors felt 15-year-old Ethan Crumbley was calm and worked on homework while staff tried to reach his parents and they traveled to the school.
Guidance counselors told Crumbley’s parents that they had to get him into counseling within 48 hours, he said. The parents did not notify counselors that they had purchased a gun for their son recently, Thorne said.
“Given the fact that the child had no prior disciplinary infractions, the decision was made he would be returned to the classroom rather than sent home to an empty house,” he said.
“These incidents remained at the guidance counselor level and were never elevated to the principal or assistant principal’s office. While we understand this decision has caused anger, confusion and prompted understandable questioning, the counselors made a judgment based on their professional training and clinical experience and did not have all the facts we now know.”
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