Families Of 2 Students Killed In Oxford Shooting Accept Settlement

OXFORD, MI — The families of two students who were killed in the Oxford school shooting in 2021 have accepted settlements from the school district, according to their lawyers.

The families of 17-year-olds Madisyn Baldwin and Justin Shilling each accepted a $500,000 settlement from Oxford Community Schools. The families of Hana St. Juliana and 16-year-old Tate Myre rejected the offer, according to lawyers.

The lawyers said the settlements were accepted months ago, before a federal judge tossed a group of lawsuits against the district, ruling the district was protected by qualified immunity. The Michigan Supreme Court refused to hear any further arguments

At an Oxford school board meeting in June, Steve St. Juliana, the father of 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, told the district they can "shove" their $500,000 offer.

"That's how little that you value our children," St. Juliana told board members. "I don't even know what to say. I mean, how can you not be embarrassed and ashamed? Not only of the offer, which is insulting, at the very least, but the manner in which it's delivered."

Lawsuits filed by the victims' families argued that the district failed to protect students and downplayed the threat the killer posed to the school. They pointed to a 600-page independent report that found multiple systematic failures leading up to the attack that left four students dead in November 2021.

Ethan Crumbley, who was 15 at the time of the shooting, pleaded guilty to murder, attempted murder and terrorism in the attack. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. He asked for a new trial, but an Oakland County judge rejected that request, stating his "plea was knowingly, voluntarily, and accurately given."

His parents, Jennifer and James Crumbley were each found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter in the shooting. They were each sentenced to 10 to 15 years in prison. They appealed their sentences and were also denied new trials.