Fieger Adds 11 New Counts To Lawsuit Against Oxford Schools

OXFORD, MI — Geoffrey Fieger added 11 new counts to his lawsuit Friday against the Oxford Community School District and several of its administrators and staff. He represents the parents of two students who survived the attack, and accused several Oxford officials and staff of gross negligence.

The updated complaint accuses many school officials, teachers and administrators of ignoring warning signs and disturbing behavior of the suspected teen shooter, Ethan Crumbley.

Crumbley opened fired Nov. 30, killing four students and wounding seven others at Oxford High School, authorities said. He faces four counts of first-degree premeditated murder and 20 other felonies, including terrorism. The teen waived his preliminary exam and is to head to trial.

Oxford Superintendent Tim Thorne and Oxford High School Principal Steven Wolf reviewed Crumbley's social media posts and knew of concerned parents, the compliant said. Both men also knew about the severed bird's head left in the boys' bathroom, the complaint said.

However, Throne discouraged students and parents from discussing the social media posts, the complaint alleged, and Wolf told students to stop reporting or sharing the incidents.

The complaint also faulted two unnamed school counselors for failing to report violent pictures and notes Crumbley had drawn that threatened violence against fellow students.

"The individually named defendants are each responsible through their actions for making the student victims less safe, causing the students to be in direct harm, and acting in a manner that was so reckless as to demonstrate a substantial lack of concern for whether an injury results," the complaint said.

Patch reached out to the school district's lawyers Monday afternoon and will update this story when we hear back.

Timothy Mullins, attorney for the school district, told WDIV in a statement that Fieger's allegations "false."

"As to the specifics of the case, there is an ongoing criminal investigation and prosecution," Mullins said. "The school district has been asked not to say anything that would interfere with the Sheriff’s investigation and the Oakland County prosecutor’s criminal case. We are honoring and abiding by that commitment."

The updated complaint comes as new details have emerged in recent court filings surrounding Crumbley's behavior, which included keeping a severed bird's head in a jar and violent drawings.

The $100 million lawsuit was originally filed on the behalf of two sisters, Riley and Bella Franz. Riley was shot in the neck during the attack. The complaint blamed school officials, teachers and counselors for failing to stop the attack, which resulted in physical and psychological injuries to students.