Michigan school shooter receives life in prison, no parole

A Michigan judge sentenced a 17-year-old on Friday to life in prison without parole for killing four classmates in a 2021 school shooting. The shooter, then 15, shot students at Oxford High School in Michigan, killing four teenagers and wounding seven other people. Family and friends of victims delivered emotional testimony on the devastation the shooter wrought with the attack before the sentencing. The defendant spoke before the sentencing, describing himself as a “really bad person” who would “try my best in the future to help other people.” He has pleaded guilty to one count of terrorism causing death, four counts of first-degree murder, and 19 other charges related to the attacks.

Can a minor be sentenced to life without parole? Oakland County Judge Kwamé Rowe ruled in September that the shooter could be sentenced to life without parole despite being a minor. The shooter’s parents are facing involuntary manslaughter charges for allegedly buying him the handgun used in the attack and reportedly ignoring his mental health. The pair are scheduled to face trial on Jan. 23.

Dig deeper: Read Carolina Lumetta’s report in WORLD Magazine on shifting gun laws in New Mexico.