Three students were killed in a shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan, on Tuesday, authorities said.
The victims were identified as Tate Myre, 16, Hanna St. Julian, 14, and Madisyn Baldwin, 17, according to authorities.
Eight others were shot and injured, including a teacher, authorities said. They were transported to three different local hospitals. Three were in critical condition Tuesday night, according to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard, including a 15-year-old boy who was shot in the head, a 14-year-old girl shot in the chest who is currently on a ventilator, and a 17-year-old girl also shot in the chest.
A 14-year-old boy was also in serious condition with jaw and head wounds. Three students were in stable condition, including two 17-year-old girls and a 15-year-old boy. The female teacher, 47, was treated and released from the hospital with a graze wound to the shoulder, Bouchard said.
All parents of the victims have been notified, he said.
Myre was rushed to a police officer’s car and taken to the hospital, but the student died en route, Bouchard said.
The suspected shooter, a 15-year-old male student, a sophomore, was taken into custody within five minutes, authorities said. A semiautomatic handgun has been confiscated, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office said.
Two deputies approached the suspect in a hallway and he surrendered, according to Bouchard. The 9mm Sig Sauer pistol still contained seven rounds when it was taken off the student, the sheriff said. Authorities believe the student fired 12 shots in the incident, Bouchard said, though the crime scene will continue to be processed.
Bouchard said the gun used in the shooting was purchased by the suspect’s father on Nov. 26 along with three 15-round clips. He also said the suspect had recently posted photos on social media of him shooting at targets with what appears to be the same gun.
The student lives in the Village of Oxford and attended school Tuesday, authorities said.
Authorities said they believe he acted alone. The teen has not mentioned a motive, authorities said.
He is being held at the Oakland County Children’s Village and is lodged as a juvenile, Oakland County Undersheriff Mike McCabe said. The county prosecutor could choose to charge him as an adult, he said.
The suspected shooter’s parents have not granted him permission to talk to authorities and have hired a lawyer, the undersheriff said. Authorities are executing a search warrant at his house, he said. The suspect’s cellphone was taken, but the sheriff did not have information on further items taken from the house.
Over 100 calls poured into 911 as the shooting unfolded, authorities said. Bouchard said one of the victims of the shooting was a relative of a person taking calls at the 911 center.
The shooting occurred primarily in one area of the school and there is a “fairly large crime scene,” McCabe said.
Bouchard said the sheriff’s office did not receive any warnings about a possible shooting ahead of Tuesday’s incident.
Social media videos showed students huddled and barricaded in a classroom as they sheltered in place during the shooting.
Oxford is about 40 miles north of Detroit.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer attended an evening briefing on the shooting, saying she wanted to be there “because I think this is an important moment for us to support one another, to support this community. And I want to thank our first responders.”
She called the incident a “uniquely American problem that we need to address,” and got visibly emotional discussing the tragedy.
“I think this is every parent’s worst nightmare,” she said, crying.
President Joe Biden said Tuesday afternoon, “My heart goes out to the families during the unimaginable grief of losing a loved one.”
A prayer vigil for the shooting victims was scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph Church in Lake Orion.
