Oxford High School shooter, Ethan Crumbley's parents' role in the dreadful carnage is raising questions with every passing minute. First, it was revealed Ethan's father James bought him the gun he used to wreak havoc in the school. Afterward, James and Jennifer failed to show up for an arraignment scheduled for Friday, December 3 afternoon and were declared fugitives after police failed to establish contact with them. The couple, however, was captured in Detroit on Saturday morning. Detroit police hinted at the possibility of someone helping them hide.
According to DailyMail, the fugitive couple was found hiding in a basement of a building on the 1100 block of Bellevue Street in Detroit, less than half a mile from the Canadian border. The US Marshals had announced a $10,000 bounty on information leading to their arrest. James and Jennifer were charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter on account of their negligence towards their son, Ethan, who opened fire in Oxford High School, killing 4 and injuring several others. The couple is facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
Previously, it was reported that the couple was camped under surveillance at a motel since the shooting. The couple even withdrew $4,000 from an ATM on Thursday night. The surveillance, however, was suspended on Friday morning giving a window to Jennifer and James for leaving the motel unobserved, according to WDIV-TV.
Manhunt
The Crumbleys were given a deadline till 4 pm Friday to surrender, which the couple failed to honor. Hours past the deadline, Detroit Police received a tip about an abandoned black 2021 Kia Seltos SUV parked near the Detroit River which forms the border between the US and Canada. As soon as it was confirmed that the vehicle belonged to the fugitive pair, police deployed K-9 units, launching a manhunt for the couple.
Someone helped the fugitive couple
Undersheriff of the Detroit Police Mike McCabe noted that the 'fugitives' were located after one of them was seen in a parking lot on Bellevue by a tipster. A woman was reportedly spotted beside the Black SUV of the couple. The woman is said to have 'fled on foot' when the police approached the scene.
Following the arrest, Detroit Police Chief James White said in a press conference that James and Jennifer neither resisted being taken into custody nor were they armed. They, however, appeared to be distressed. He also added that the building where the couple was hiding was an art studio and they were let in by someone. "They didn't break in. somebody let them in," he said. The relationship between the person and the couple is not known at the moment. White also noted that if the person's involvement is proved, they could face charges.
