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u.s. news Diasabra 4 December 2021

Parents of Michigan boy charged in Oxford school shooting

(AP) — The parents of School officials told James was high.
a teen accused of killing and Jennifer Crumbley to get
four students at a Michi- their 15-year-old into coun- Ethan Crumbley has been
gan high school were seling, McDonald said. charged as an adult with
charged with involuntary two dozen crimes, including
manslaughter Friday as He was returned to class and murder, attempted murder
a prosecutor described later emerged from a bath- and terrorism, for the shoot-
chilling moments that day room with a gun, firing at ing Tuesday at the Oakland
when a teacher found a students in the hallway, ac- County school, roughly 30
drawing of a gun, a person cording to police. miles (50 kilometers) north
bleeding and the words of Detroit.
“blood everywhere” at the Jennifer Crumbley texted
boy’s desk. her son after the shooting, Four students were killed
saying, “Ethan, don’t do it,” and seven more people were
Oakland County prosecutor McDonald said. injured. Three were in hospi-
Karen McDonald said the tals in stable condition.
parents committed “egre- “These charges are intended
gious” acts, including buying to hold the individuals who Parents in the U.S. are rarely to the office before the shoot- said in the 12-minute video.
a gun and making it avail- contributed to this tragedy charged in school shootings ing but “no discipline was
able to Ethan Crumbley and accountable and also send involving their children, even warranted.” “I want you to know that
failing to intervene when the message that gun owners as most minors get guns from there’s been a lot of talk about
they were summoned to the have a responsibility,” Mc- a parent or relative’s house, Tim Throne, leader of Ox- the student who was appre-
school Tuesday and con- Donald said. “When they fail according to experts. ford Community Schools, hended, that he was called
fronted with the drawing. to uphold that responsibility, said the high school looks up to the office and all that
there are serious and criminal Youtube video thumbnail like a “war zone” and won’t kind of stuff. No discipline
A teacher found a note on consequences.” Sheriff Mike Bouchard dis- be ready for weeks. But he was warranted,” Throne said.
Ethan’s desk and took a pho- closed Wednesday that the repeatedly credited students “There are no discipline re-
to. It was a drawing of a gun It wasn’t immediately known parents met with school of- and staff for how they re- cords at the high school. Yes
pointing at the words, “The if the Crumbleys have law- ficials about their son’s class- sponded to the violence. this student did have contact
thoughts won’t stop. Help yers who could comment on room behavior, just a few with our front office, and,
me,” McDonald said. the involuntary manslaugh- hours before the shooting. “To say that I am still in shock yes, his parents were on cam-
ter charges. Under Michigan and numb is probably an un- pus Nov. 30.”
There also was a drawing of law, the charge can be pur- The superintendent for the derstatement. These events
a bullet with words above it: sued if prosecutors believe district late Thursday posted that have occurred will not Throne said he couldn’t im-
“Blood everywhere.” someone contributed to a sit- a YouTube video where he define us,” Throne, grim- mediately release additional
uation where harm or death said the teenager was called faced and speaking slowly, details.

Pushing COVID-19 boosters, Biden says ‘we need to be ready’

(AP) — With rising num- countries are closing their hoped for bipartisan backing. dose of the mRNA vaccines
bers of COVID-19 cases borders or reinstituting lock- About 100 million Americans from Pfizer or Moderna.
predicted this winter, downs, the president said he “My plan I’m announcing to- are eligible for boosters un-
President Joe Biden on would not at this time im- day pulls no punches in the der current U.S. policy, with Biden said the CDC is de-
Thursday appealed for pose additional clampdowns fight against COVID-19, and more becoming eligible every veloping new guidance for
Americans to get their beyond his recommendation it’s a plan that I think should day. Officials believe that per- schools in an effort to re-
boosters and get behind that Americans wear masks unite us,” he Biden said. suading the vaccinated to get duce or eliminate current
his plan to tackle the new indoors in public settings. another dose will be easier quarantine requirements for
omicron variant through Legal challenges have held than vaccinating the roughly those not fully vaccinated
wider availability of vac- “Experts say the COVID-19 up Biden’s vaccination- 43 million adult Americans and exposed to the virus.
cines and shots, but with- cases will continue to rise in or-testing requirement for who haven’t gotten a shot. That could include “test-to-
out new major restrictions the weeks ahead this win- workers at larger employers, stay” policies, in which those
on daily life. ter, so we need to be ready,” and that’s led the president “Go get your booster now,” considered close contacts can
Biden said during a visit to to urge businesses to impose Biden said. continue to go to school but
Biden wants to require pri- the National Institutes of their own mandates so com- wear masks and undergo se-
vate insurers to cover the Health in suburban Mary- panies can stay open without Seniors are in the popula- rial testing, in an effort to
cost of at-home COVID-19 land after a briefing with sci- outbreaks. tion most vulnerable to the minimize learning loss and
tests and he is tightening test- entific advisers. virus, and the Centers for disruption.
ing requirements for people His administration has come Medicare & Medicaid Ser-
entering the United States, He said his new strategy to view widespread adoption vices will send a notice to all The rule that private insur-
regardless of their vaccina- “doesn’t include shutdowns of booster shots as its most 63 million Medicare benefi- ers cover at-home testing is
tion status. While some other and lockdowns,” and he effective tool for combat- ciaries encouraging them to being drafted, and details re-
ing COVID-19 this winter. get booster doses, the White main to be worked out, offi-
Medical experts say boosters House said. The AARP will cials said.
provide enhanced and more work with the administration
enduring protection, includ- on education campaigns for People insured by Medicare
ing against new variants. seniors. and Medicaid would not be
eligible, but the White House
Much remains unknown So far about 42 million said as many as 150 million
about the omicron variant, Americans, about half of people with private insurance
such as whether it is more them seniors, have received would see easier and cheaper
contagious, makes people a booster dose. The Centers access to the at-home tests.
more seriously ill and can for Disease Control and Pre- The administration said it
thwart the vaccines. Officials vention this week broadened is making 50 million CO-
said Thursday that a second its booster dose recommen- VID-19 tests free for older
case of the variant had been dation to cover all Ameri- people and other vulnerable
confirmed in the United cans at least age 18, starting groups for pickup at senior
States. six months after their second centers and community sites.