Oxford shooting victim’s family files $100 million lawsuit, alleges the school failed her

On Thursday, the family of a student who was shot during a school shooting in Oxford, Michigan last week filed two lawsuits against the school district and multiple school employees.

The lawsuits seek $100 million in damages and say school did not do enough to address the danger that the shooting suspect posed on the day of the event.

“The individually named Defendants are each responsible through their actions for making the student victims less safe,” the suit states. “The Oxford High School students, and Plaintiffs in particular, would have been safer had the Individual Defendants not taken the actions they did.” The suits also say the defendants’ actions before the deadly shooting “created the danger and increased the risk of harm that their students would be exposed to.” 

Student Ethan Crumbley is the alleged suspect who opened fire at Oxford High School on November 30, killing four people and wounding seven others.

Crumbley, who is 15-years-old, faces 24 charges, including one count of terrorism causing death and four counts of first-degree murder. His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, are also facing four charges of involuntary manslaughter and both pleaded not guilty.

The lawsuit says 17-year-old Riley Franz was shot in the neck, and her 14-year-old sister Bella, another student, “narrowly escaped the bullets discharged towards her.” The suits claim both students are now suffering from emotional injuries resulting from the incident including severe trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, shock, terror, and fright.

After the shooting, investigators said there was a “mountain of digital evidence” that suggest the attack was premeditated. A journal found in Crumbley’s backpack showed his desire to shoot his classmates, according to officials.

Each defendant in the lawsuits are accused of violating the 14th Amendment, granting equal protection of the law to all citizens. The family says the lack of action taken against Crumbley encouraged the incident.