Oxford High School shooting: Michigan Supreme Court dismisses lawsuits from families

Michigan Supreme Court dismisses Oxford civil lawsuits

The family has been trying to hold the Oxford school system accountable for its failure to stop a troubled teen from shooting up the school in November 2021. On Wednesday, they learned the state supreme court declined to consider their case.

OXFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - The family of Tate Myre and the other students killed in the Oxford school shooting were met with an upsetting decision by the Michigan Supreme Court.

What they're saying:

The family has been trying to hold the Oxford school system accountable for its failure to stop a troubled teen from shooting up the school in November 2021.

On Wednesday, they learned the state supreme court declined to consider their case.

"That’s basically what the decision today said is - your kid’s just a gun statistic – we don’t need to change a damn thing," said Tate's father, Buck Myre.

What Myre's and attorney Ven Johnson were trying to change is government immunity, the policy that shields governments from lawsuits.

"Government, now in Michigan – if you work for the government, injure or kill somebody – you are above the law – you don’t have to worry about being held accountable and therefore no one will ever learn from these past mistakes," said Johnson. 

"All along our government has played games with this tragedy because they know they can’t be held accountable – they’re above the law," Myre said.

The backstory:

The shooter and his parents are now in prison for the deaths of Tate Myre, Madisyn Baldwin, Justin Shilling, and Hana St. Juliana – but hopes to hold the system accountable are essentially – still on hold.

"Without any question – this is a severe blow to the case and will be extremely difficult to overcome," said Johnson.

"I’m shocked – I’m shocked – I can’t believe that a tragedy of this nature – our government can just sweep it under the rug and say sorry for your luck – when it was preventable," Myre said.