Parents' conviction in Michigan school shooting could have implications in NC

Jennifer and James Crumbley are the first parents convicted in a U.S. mass school shooting.

They'll spend 10 to 15 years behind bars in Michigan.

WRAL News spoke with an attorney to see if the case sets a precedence in similar cases in North Carolina.

The case in Michigan is special. It's the first time in the U.S. that the parents of an active shooter are being held accountable for not securing a weapon that was used in a mass shooting.

A Michigan judge called the acts leading to Ethan Crumbley's mass shooting at his high school in November of 2021 a train wreck that could have been avoided. Four people were killed, 11 others wounded.

The judge blamed his parents and sentenced James and Jennifer Crumbley to a minimum of 10 years behind bars.

So, will the Michigan ruling impact active-shooter cases here in North Carolina?

"I think it's going to have to," said Fayetteville-based attorney Michael Boose. "As it should be a case-by-case basis."

Boose has been practicing law for more than 40 years. He thinks sending the parents to jail is sending a strong message.

"If this gets everybody heightened to go out now and get some decent locks on their safes," Boose said. "Get trigger guards for their weapons, if I could have gotten a trigger guard last week or something, then that might have been the way to go."

Fon Dockery watched the Michigan case with great interest. His 8-year-old daughter, Jenesis, was killed by an unsecured handgun an 11-year-old got out of a family member's safe.

He's using her death to fight for stronger weapon security at homes and accountability for negligent parents.

"Our hope is that other judges in other states will see just how important that is and why," Dockery said. "And will adopt that practice."

The ruling in Michigan may set a precedent for similar cases in North Carolina.