OXFORD, Mich. – A 572-page third-party report finds that the Oxford High School shooting could have been prevented if proper training and guidelines had been in place.
Systemic failures from the top down when it comes to school policy in threat assessments and suicide intervention played a prominent role in what happened on Nov. 30, 2021. Had proper procedures, guidelines, and planning been in place, it could have prevented the shooting, which killed four students and injured seven others, the report said.
The long-awaited and fought-for third-party investigation into the Oxford school shooting was released late Monday night and placed the blame firmly and squarely on the shooter but also found serious fault with the then superintendent and senior administrators, along with the dean of students and the shooter’s counselor.
“Our investigation has revealed had proper threat assessment guidelines been in place and District threat assessment policy followed, this tragedy was avoidable,” the report indicated.
A response from the school district can be read below:
“Last night, Guidepost Solutions released their final report to the school system at the same time as to the public. We are beginning the process of carefully studying this report and will share our response once it has been thoroughly reviewed.
As we review the document, the following criteria will guide our response:
This tragedy impacted all of our lives, creating devastation and heartache. While we are forever changed by what occurred, our community has also embodied extraordinary compassion and continuing acts of care. These things will ultimately define what it means to be part of Oxford.”
Danielle Stublensky, Oxford Community Schools
“As I read through the report released tonight, my thoughts are with the families of Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, and Justin Shilling, as well as those injured, their families, and all of the students, faculty and staff of Oxford High School.
I’m holding the entire Oxford community close today and in the coming days, as I know how difficult this report will be to digest. It can be hard for communities that have never experienced a tragedy like this to understand the pain that continues long after the violence.
Even as we approach two years since the shooting, everyone touched by the tragedy still relives the events of that terrible day with each new development, and grapples with waves of emotion.
As a legislator, my job is to read, understand, and act upon this report to hopefully prevent this sort of tragedy from ever happening again in our community – to learn the painful lessons of Oxford and apply them to each and every school in Michigan.
We will never be able to prevent every terrible thing that can happen, but we can learn from the past to ensure history does not repeat itself.
In the coming days and weeks, I’ll be reaching out to the K-12 leadership in Mid-Michigan and both state and federal legislators to take steps to prevent a tragedy like what occurred at Oxford from ever happening again.”
U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-07)