OXFORD, Mich. – A key victory occurred for the families of the Oxford High School shooting victims as a lawsuit naming the school as a defendant can go forward.
Friday’s (May 12) ruling from a federal judge allowed a lawsuit against the district and two staffers to proceed.
Seven other Oxford school workers were dismissed from the case.
Meantime, attorneys for the families called it a monumental win.
This ruling was monumental for families, including parents like Buck Myre, whose son Tate Myre was killed during the Oxford High School shooting.
Buck has always had questions for the people who were with the shooter that day and had their hands on the shooter’s backpack.
“Why didn’t you check it,” said Buck. “Simple!”
The backpack containing a handgun was handed back to a student in crisis, and then deadly shots were fired.
Buck and other Oxford families will now get answers after a federal judge ruled that Oxford school counselor Shawn Hopkins and Oxford dean Nicholas Ejak increased the risk of harm to others the day of the shooting.
Both can now be questioned under oath.
“Why didn’t you check the backpack,” Buck said. “What were you thinking?”
“We are going to be able to talk about why didn’t they check the backpack,” said attorney Ven Johnson.
“What have you been trained in to identify threats,” Buck said.
Attorney Jim Harrington with Fieger Law also represents Oxford families in a federal lawsuit.
He explained why a judge ruled that the counselor and dean remained in the lawsuit.
“They increased the risk of harm,” said Harrington. “The actions that they took at that time during that meeting was really the lighting of the fuse that set the bomb off.”
Local 4 asked the district attorney for comment, but we have not heard back.
“We are pleased that many of the employees of the School who played no part in the commission of Ethan Crumbley’s heinous crimes have been dismissed and no longer face the possibility of personal bankruptcy. However, I am shocked that on Wednesday, Ven Johnson voluntarily dismissed with prejudice Ethan Crumbley, the murderer, and his parents who gave him the gun. Mr. Johnson is a true fighter for justice and accountability.”
Statement from Oxford Schools attorney Timothy Mullins