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Michigan school shooting: Would the parents have been charged in Texas?
An Austin lawyer is weighing in on whether the parents of the suspect in the Oxford High School shooting would face similar charges in Texas.
AUSTIN, Texas - The latest school shooting in Michigan has the nation reeling once again, even more so, now that the prosecutor presiding over the case is charging the accused shooter's parents.
"Michigan could have some specific parental responsibility laws, but my initial reaction was this was a stretch to criminally prosecute the parents for the actions of their child," said Austin criminal defense attorney Sam Bassett.
The Oakland County prosecutor believes the Crumbleys should be held accountable after buying the gun, and also allegedly not taking steps to remove their son from the campus the day of the shooting.
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Fourth Oxford High School shooting victim dies
The death toll from the Oxford High School shooting climbed Wednesday after a 17-year-old boy passed away, according to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.
Although the shooting is heartbreaking, Bassett believes if this were in Texas, the involuntary manslaughter charge wouldn't stick.
"You’d have to show the parents actually encouraged the child to actually go out and injure people and kill them. I’m unaware of any Texas prosecutions for any parents who are charged with a crime as a result of their child going out and committing a murder," said Bassett.
Civil suits and misdemeanors however are still options. "You might be able to charge them with some sort of misdemeanor crime related to providing them with a firearm," said Bassett.
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Oxford High School shooting: Ethan Crumbley charged as adult
The 15-year-old sophomore who opened fire at Oxford High School on Tuesday was charged as an adult Wednesday.
The story has also brought up conversations about gun safety and keeping them out of kids' reach.
"With a gun comes great responsibility. You have to lock guns from kids, you cannot hide guns from kids," said Michael Cargill, owner of Central Texas Gunworks.
Cargill said he encourages customers to also purchase locks along with their new guns.
"You have different sizes of cable locks that come with the gun that goes through the barrel of the gun. We also have hand gun safes. You have some that have a combination, you have some that actually have a key," said Cargill.
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Oxford High School shooting: 3 students dead, 8 hurt including 1 teacher
The Oakland County Sheriff said three students were killed and eight others have been hurt when someone started shooting inside Oxford High School on Tuesday.
Cargill and Bassett both believe ultimately, for shootings like these to end, parents and guardians have to take responsibility.
"I’m a parent, I do not like my children to have access to guns, they are locked away," said Bassett.
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MORE HEADLINES:
'Ethan don't do it': Parents of Oxford High School suspect sent messages during shooting
Parents of accused Oxford shooter are headed back to area for arraignment, say attorneys
Oxford superintendent: No disciplinary action was warranted for shooting suspect prior to attack
Prosecutor critical of Oxford HS staff prior to mass shooting
Oxford High School shooting: what to know for Friday
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