McDonald Blasts Oxford School Officials For Delaying Investigation

OXFORD, MI — Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald blasted Oxford School officials Friday for delaying an investigation into the events leading up to the deadly shooting at Oxford High School.

Oxford School officials rejected an offer from Michigan's Attorney General Dana Nessel to investigate the events at the offices' cost because they said officials and prosecutors are still withholding information about the deadly shooting from district officials.

However, McDonald, who is prosecuting two criminal cases in connection to the shooting, joined several Oxford School parents in a quest for answers.

"There is no reason to delay an independent review of the Oxford High School shooting - such reviews have been conducted promptly after other school shootings," McDonald said in a statement. "An independent commission can conduct a thorough analysis of the events and factors that contributed to the shooting, can hold public hearings, and can recommend steps to make our schools safer and make our students feel safe."

McDonald also referenced the Sandy Hook Commission, which investigated an elementary school shooting that left 20 school kids and six teachers dead in Newtown, Connecticut, on Dec. 14, 2012. The commission, she wrote, was made up of "experts in the fields of mental health, law enforcement training and response, designing secure schools, and public policy implementation."

The commission published its findings in a 277 page report just two and half years later.

"The Oxford victims and the entire Oxford community want such an independent review, and they deserve it," McDonald said. "The lessons we learn will benefit all of us."

Oxford school officials argued during a Tuesday night school board meeting that any independent investigation should wait until all criminal and civil litigation is over.

"It would be ill-advised for us to start a third-party review when we don’t know the facts," Oxford school board president Tom Donnelly said.

Nessel also accused Oxford School officials of being "more focused on limiting liability" than addressing the concerns of the Oxford community and investigating the events leading up to the deadly shooting.

"My goal is not to assign blame but to help identify ways to improve school safety for Oxford and all schools in Michigan," Nessel said. "The school board’s unwillingness to partner with my department on this effort flies in the face of transparency."

However, district officials did say they've had preliminary discussions with four private firms to investigate the events leading up to the shooting. They also said they're looking at multiple reports, not just one.