US: Michigan school shooter sentenced to life in prison without parole

An American teenager, who shot dead four of his classmates in 2021 at a high school outside Detroit, was on Friday (Dec 8) sentenced to life imprisonment without parole.

Ethan Crumbley had opened fire on Nov 30 2021 with a semi-automatic handgun that his father bought as a Christmas gift days before the incident occurred.

The shooting claimed the lives of four and injured six other students along with a teacher. Crumbley was 15 years old at the time of the shooting.

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His parents have also been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with the shooting.

This is one of the first cases in the United States that has held parents accountable for their child's school shooting.

"All I want is for the people I hurt to have a final sense of culpability that justice has somewhat been served and in a capacity that they can recognize it with. Any sentence that they ask for, I ask that you do impose it on me because I want them to be happy and I want them to feel secure and safe and I don't want them to worry another day," Crumbley said while addressing the court before sentencing.

"Because I really am sorry for what I've done, for what I've taken. I cannot give it back, but I can try my best in the future to help other people and that is what I will do," he said.

Parents of the victims as well as survivors of the mass shooting also opened up on the impact of the incident.

"For the past two years our family has been navigating our way through complete hell," said Buck Myre, whose son Tate was among those killed.

"We miss Tate," Myre said. "Our family has a permanent hole in it that can never be fixed. Ever."

Crumbley pleaded guilty in October 2022 to bringing a 9mm Sig Sauer handgun to school and opening fire on fellow students.

(With inputs from agencies)