Craig Shilling, father of Justin Shilling, one of four students killed in the 2021 mass shooting at Oxford High School, said the guilty verdict for the shooter's mother was emotional.
“It's been a long time coming, but it's definitely a step toward accountability,” Shilling told reporters outside the courtroom Tuesday.
Jennifer Crumbley was found guilty of four counts of involuntary manslaughter and will be sentenced on April 9. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison, which would apply simultaneously.
“It's definitely going to resonate with me for a while,” he said. “It's not really about winning or losing. It's about making it clear that this all has to end in society.”
He said parents need to address “things at all levels” and that now “there is no way to look away.” In Jennifer Crumbley's case, the father said many things could have stopped the shooting before it started.
“You can't choose to put your own interests before your child's, especially when it comes to mental health and addressing, you know, the concerns, the issue. That was all disturbing,” Shilling said.
