Oxford shooting report offers clarity, sparks more questions from community
OXFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - The report assessing whether officials at Oxford High School acted appropriately before and after the tragic shooting that victimized the district has offered some clarity. It's also prompted more questions and even some accusations from parents.
"Yeah, it’s a cover-up, absolutely. These people are fighting for their lives and they're trying to cover their gross negligence that ended with the death of their four children," said Mark Gilliam, who has a daughter in the school system.
Gilliam's ire matched that of other parents in the community upset by the lack of participation from the district. According to Guidepost Solutions, the security firm which released an extensive 572-page report on the investigation, employees were not required to answer their questions.
"I think there are 60 or 70 people, including the two primary people that handled the shooter that day, did not cooperate with the investigation," said Gilliam.
Why the district didn't mandate participation is one of several questions parents had during several Thursday meetings with Guidepost Solutions.
Another was whether a proper threat assessment was conducted the day of the shooting.
Oxford High School shooting independent report: 'District failed to provide safe environment'
"Our investigation has revealed that had proper threat assessment guidelines been in place and District threat assessment policy followed, this tragedy was avoidable," the report said.
"What stopped the people, the two people with the shooter in the office, what stopped them from searching his backpack?" asked another parent, referring to the counselor and dean of students who spoke with the shooter before his rampage began.
"The standard is reasonable suspicion. We put that in a report. What does reasonable suspicion mean?" said Andy O'Connell from Guidepost Solutions. "And we make it clear in our report there was enough there that a threat assessment should have been done, which we believe would have included a request to search."
The shooter reportedly had a firearm in a backpack he brought to school the day of the shooting. Why it wasn't searched after the shooter was brought into the counselor's office has been a topic of discussion.
Guidepost Solutions says there was enough evidence that school employees should have done so.
"The policy and guidelines require you to ask, but even if the student refuses, you can still search if you have reasonable suspicion," said O'Connell.
If appropriate threat assessment guidelines were established and the district's threat assessment policy had been adhered to, this tragedy could have been prevented, investigators said.
Thursday's meetings were the first of many that are scheduled to take place in Oxford over the next week. Parents are invited to ask questions and get clarity on the report's conclusions.