Oakland County Picks Firm To Investigate Oxford Shooting Response

OXFORD, MI — Oakland County officials chose a firm Monday to investigate the county's response to the deadly Oxford school shooting that left four students dead and multiple others hurt in 2021.

County officials chose Guidepost Solutions, which is headquartered in Birmingham, to investigate the matter. The independent review will include looking at how police, fire and other emergency crews responded to the shooting. It will also provide recommendations to strengthen preparedness and response efforts for future crises, county officials said.

County officials will negotiate a contract with the group to determine the cost of the investigation. The Oakland County Board of Commissioners did approve $500,000 in September for an investigation.

Officials say the investigation is a critical step in advancing transparency, accountability and community healing from the deadly shooting.

"We are committed to an open and thorough examination of the county’s response to the tragic shootings at Oxford High School by law enforcement, emergency management and all county departments activated in the moments, days and months after the shootings three years ago," Oakland County Executive David Coulter said. "The Oxford families and extended community deserve this review and we must ensure we’re employing best practices moving forward with emergency plans we hope we never have to use."

Guidepost’s team is made up of former law enforcement leaders, emergency management experts, mental health professionals and educators, who will all critically examine all aspects of the response, including:

• Command and coordination: Governance, organizational structure, and interagency collaboration.
• First responder actions: Law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency management protocols.
• Mental health and recovery: Community and first responder support services.
• Communications: Public messaging, 9-1-1 operations, and interagency information sharing.
• Training and preparedness: Evaluation of pre-incident training and recommendations for future improvements.

The team will also hold town halls, listening sessions and conduct interviews with victims, families, first responders and others, before issuing a final report.

Guidepost also investigated the district's handling of the shooting. That 572-page report, which was released last year, found multiple systematic failures leading up to the attack. Those investigators do not have subpoena power and could not force anyone to participate. The report did say some district officials denied and shifted responsibility elsewhere.

The Michigan Attorney General's Office, which does have subpoena power, said it is preparing to work with other state and Oakland County officials to investigate the shooting. Oxford families have been demanding school officials be held accountable for any failed policies that could have prevented the shooting.

The four students killed in the shooting were 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana, 16-year-old Tate Myre, 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin and 17-year-old Justin Shilling.

The shooter, Ethan Crumbley, was sentenced in December 2023 to life without the possibility of parole. He has since requested to withdraw his guilty plea.

His parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, were sentenced in April to 10-15 years in prison after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the shooting. Jennifer asked a judge to toss her conviction and grant her a new trial.