Should a Minor Shooter’s Parents Be Held Criminally Responsible for Their Child’s Actions?

I will forever remember when I heard about the school shooting at Columbine High School. It is a day that is burnt into my memory and a heartache that will never fade. With the current rate of mass/school shootings, what would have happened had someone stepped in before it was too late?

Jennifer and James Crumbley are the parents of the boy who is accused of killing four classmates and injuring several others at Oxford High School. If found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, they could face a total of up to 30 years in prison.

During an episode of the WNYC/NPR’s 1A last week, the question was asked if the parents of a minor shooter should be criminally responsible. My answer is yes. In the case of the Crumbleys, I would firmly argue that they should be held liable. Not only did they buy their son a firearm, but are also accused of doing nothing about their son’s deteriorating mental health.

If let’s say, a young person only has a learner’s permit and gets behind the wheel without an experienced driver. As a result, an innocent person is killed. The adults who are raising this child are as liable as the driver.

At this point, we cannot know what the verdict will be. But I hope that this will send a message that these events can be prevented if the older generation does their part.

The Manslaughter Charge Against the Oxford Shooter’s Parents Sends a Message That All Parents Should Heed

When a parent sends their child to school in the morning, they send them knowing that the place will keep their kid safe and educate them. They do not send them to die at the hand of a fellow student.

In November of 2021, four young people were murdered by one of their own at Oxford High School in Michigan. Earlier this week, the parents of this boy (who will remain nameless on this blog) were charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Though this particular event was one in a long list of murders in an educational setting, it is the first time that the parents of the minor charged will face charges themselves.

As I have said before, I have nothing against guns. It’s not my cup of tea, but that’s ok. What I am against is this loosey-goosey vision of the 2nd amendment in which the lives of the average person are less important than the firearm itself or the NRA.

Granted, the child accused of killing his classmates was 15 at the time. By that age, most parents (hopefully) give some amount of autonomy to their offspring. However, he is still underage, and his parent’s responsibility. Unless they were living under a rock, they had to know what was going on with their son. The signs of mental illness are not unknown to us. Neither is the ability to secure one’s weapons and keep them away from small hands.

Obviously, no one can predict what the verdict will be. That being said, I can only hope that the message is loud and clear to anyone who calls themselves/is referred to as a parent.

The Inaction of the Uvalde Cops is Nothing Short of Involuntary Manslaughter

The basic responsibility of a police officer is to protect the lives of the average citizen. Though it is not stated upfront, we all know that being injured or killed while on the job is a possibility.

In the months since the shooting at the elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, there have been questions about whether the cops did their job. A recent report has alleged some disturbing allegations. While 19 children and two of their teachers lay dying at the hands of a gunman, the police did nothing. It is nothing short of involuntary manslaughter.

Not only should every one of these cops lose their jobs and their badges, but they should lose their pensions as well. That money would be used in one of two ways: 1. help the survivors, the families, and the loved ones of the victims. 2. a memorial scholarship fund to assist the children of this community in their future academic endeavors.

No parent should go through this. No child should go through this. No American should go through this. But until we have reasonable gun control laws in place, innocent people will continue to be murdered.