Investigators seize guns from suspected Oxford school shooter's home
OXFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - Oakland County Sheriff’s Office investigators and FBI agents hauled away critical evidence, including what appears to be several long guns from the alleged shooter’s Oxford house on East Street.
This comes after a 15-year-old Oxford High School sophomore is accused of using a semi-automatic handgun to kill three students and wound eight others. Sheriff Michael Bouchard said the suspect's father bought the gun on Nov. 26.
The three victims were fatally shot have been identified as Tate Myre, 17, Madisyn Baldwin, 17, and 14-year-old Hana St. Juliana.
"Having grown up in this area, worked here for many years in law enforcement, and I can't remember anything on this level," said Andy Arena.
Arena, a former FBI special agent, spoke about where the investigation may go from here.
"The next few days are going to be key to see what caused this individual to do this," said Arena. "Was this a random act, or was there a specific reason he went after these individuals - usually there is – usually in hindsight, they went after a (certain person).
"A lot of this is going to hinge on forensics, particularly what this individual was looking at on his computer, and what he was doing on social media. His activity on social media."
Oxford shooting victim Tate Myre, 17. died while being loaded into a deputy's vehicle after the shooting
And it appears the signs on social media were there. Before his pages were removed, the alleged shooter posted what looked like a countdown, His Instagram page is under black death – which says "Now I become death – destroyer of worlds – see you tomorrow Oxford."
More coverage:
Sheriff: 'This wound will never go away' after Oxford school shooting that killed 3, wounded 8
Oxford High School shooting: What we know about the victims
Arena says investigators will have to interview family, friends, and everyone at the school the day of the shooting to get a possible motive.
The FBI, which specializes in cyber forensics, will not only look at what the accused shooter posted, but what he also deleted.
"What was he looking at, what was he searching, what was he reading?" Arena said. "Those type of things. It will give us a clearer picture to see what was in his mind and what drove him to do this horrific act."
The 15-year-old suspect is being held in custody at Children's Village and is not cooperating with police. His name has not been released pending his charges.
When he was arrested in the school, Bouchard said the suspect had seven more rounds in the gun. He surrendered to deputies without incident, however.
"We believe he came out of a bathroom with a weapon in hand. Deputies took (the gun) from him he was walking down the hall," Bouchard said. "That interrupted what could have led to several more victims.
'The way I see it is, there were seven more victims in that gun."
Bouchard listed the eight other victims who were wounded:
- A 14-year-old girl in critical condition with chest and neck gunshot wounds. Bouchard said she is currently on a ventilator after surgery.
- A 15-year-old boy in critical condition with a gunshot wound to the head.
- A 14-year-old boy with gunshot wounds to the jaw and head.
- A 17-year-old girl with a gunshot wound to the neck.
- A 15-year-old boy in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the left leg.
- A 17-year-old boy in stable condition with a gunshot wound to the hip.
- A 47-year-old teacher wounded in the shoulder who was treated and released.
Stay with FOX 2 for more information as it becomes available.