Parents of Michigan School Shooting Suspect Plead Not Guilty To Involuntary Manslaughter Charges

The parents of Ethan Crumbley, the 15-year-old accused of killing four students and wounding seven other people at a Michigan high school earlier this week, pleaded not guilty to four involuntary manslaughter charges Saturday morning.

James and Jennifer Crumbley were hiding and detained by Detroit police early Saturday morning. Karen McDonald, a prosecutor in Michigan's Oakland County, set bond at $500,000 for each and emphasized the importance of holding those who "contributed" to the incident responsible. She explained that teachers at Oxford High School caught the suspect researching ammunition on his phone during class Monday. When school officials attempted to contact the Crumbleys, they didn't respond. McDonald said Jennifer Crumbley wrote in a text to her son, “lol, I’m not mad at you, you have to learn not to get caught.” Investigators say Crumbley emerged from a school bathroom with a gun and began "shooting students in the hallway" the following day. He's being charged as an adult with murder, terrorism and other crimes. The Crumbleys are set to return to court on Dec. 14.

The news was prominently covered across the spectrum. Many outlets noted that "charging parents is unusual in a school shooting." Some left-rated outlets highlighted the "negligent-storage laws" that have resulted in many adults avoiding criminal punishment for not properly locking up their weapons. Some right-rated outlets called the terrorism charges an "overreach" and highlighted comments from Crumbley's lawyers that accused McDonald of creating a "media circus."