Oxford High Shooting Lawsuit Accuses School Staff and Suspect’s Parents of Negligence

Victims of the Oxford High School shooting have filed a new lawsuit alleging some school staff members and the parents of suspect Ethan Crumbley were negligent in dealing with the 15-year-old.

CNN reports the plaintiffs include three students who survived the shooting and their families, as well as the estate of Tate Myre, who succumbed to his wounds from the incident. The plaintiffs claim that they now suffer from emotional distress after having seen the deaths of their peers and friends. According to the lawsuit, these students now live with PTSD and “severe mental disturbance.”

The plaintiffs’ attorney, Ven Johnson told CNN via email, “Our goal is to hold all people accountable who caused/contributed to this tragedy.”

The lawsuit is requesting damages, as well as for attorney fees to be covered, but did not specify a specific dollar amount that they are seeking, according to CNN. 

While Crumbley’s parents have been previously accused of ignoring their son’s needs, the new lawsuit also accuses the dean of students, two school counselors, and three teachers of not acting fast enough in handling the teen before the shooting happened.

“EC [Ethan Crumbley] exhibited some concerning, strange, and bizarre behavior, which should have alerted his parents, as well as other people who had extensive contact with him, that he was suffering from significant psychiatric problems, and that he might have been subject to child abuse and/or neglect by his parents,” the filing reads.

On Thursday, Crumbley’s attorneys revealed that he “intends to assert the defense of insanity at the time of the alleged offense.”

The teen is being tried as an adult and has been hit with 24 charges, including terrorism causing death and first-degree murder, following the deaths of four students. His parents were also charged with involuntary manslaughter and have pleaded not guilty.