Ethan Crumbley: Prosecutors cite ‘troubling and disturbing’ piece of evidence they can’t yet release to public

Accused was ‘allowed to go back to class’ despite withheld information, according to Karen McDonald

Ethan Crumbley, 15 (EPA)

Oakland County’s prosecutor has described a piece of evidence against the 15-year-old accused of killing four classmates as “disturbing” and “troubling”, and said that she cannot make it public.

Karen McDonald, the prosecutor, was reported as saying there was “an additional piece of evidence that hasn’t been released yet”, after detailing a “mountain of digital evidence” against the accused on Wednesday.

“But I can assure you it was troubling. It was disturbing and unfortunately he was allowed to go back to class,” Ms McDonald said, as reported by ClickOnDetroit.

The prosecutor for Oakland County announced charges of terrorism, four counts of first-degree murder, and seven counts of assault against the accused, Ethan Crumbley, on Wednesday.

The sophomore student, who entered a plea of not guilty, was arrested in the hallway at Oxford High School following the shooting on Tuesday, was arraigned in court the following day. The township is north of Detroit.

Ms McDonald said at a press briefing that the evidence building up against Mr Cumbley was significant and featured his social media posts and a video.

Reports meanwhile alleged that he wrote on Instagram:  “Now I become death – destroyer of worlds – see you tomorrow Oxford.”

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said a meeting had been arranged by Oxford High School with Mr Crumbley’s parents hours before the attack because of the 15-year-old’s “concerning” behaviour but was allowed to remain in school.

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Fox2 Detroit meanwhile reported that the school in fact summoned Mr Crumbley’s parents on both Monday and Tuesday, citing violent drawings as well as “concerning” behaviour.

The meetings and subject of the drawings remain unconfirmed, and it is not known if they were connected with the “disturbing” and “troubling” evidence cited by Ms McDonald, who said he was “unfortunately ... allowed to go back to class” despite the withheld piece of information.