SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — Attorney Geoffrey Fieger filed two $100 million lawsuits in connection to the mass shooting at Oxford High last week.
The suits were filed in state and federal court on behalf of two students: high school senior Riley Franz who was shot in the neck during the mass shooting last week and her freshman sister Bella, who witnessed it.
“Riley and Bella along with their friend who was murdered were in the bathroom. They exited the bathroom and were shot down,” said Fieger.
Riley is now at home recovering from a gunshot wound to the neck.
Attorney Geoffrey Fieger put accused shooter Ethan Crumbley’s parents, who posted on social media about gun rights and bought the gun allegedly used at the shooting at Oxford High, on a poster as he announced lawsuits.
“They’re the poster children for the second amendment gun nuts. Who go, Yeah, Give everyone guns!” said Fieger.
However, the parents are not being sued.
“I don’t think you can get water out of a rock,” said Fieger.
The suit is filed against school administrators, teachers, and counselors. It alleges the district received complaints about Ethan Crumbley’s posts on social media and that teachers and counselors saw his concerning drawings and failed to protect other students.
Attorney Fieger says he hopes the lawsuit results in such a large payout that it motivates a change in gun laws.
“He broke six or seven laws already,” said Terry Johnson, an attorney who specializes in firearms laws.
Johnson says more laws won’t prevent such shootings.
“He (accused shooter Ethan Crumbley) illegally possessed a firearm, which is against the law. He brought it to school which is against the law. He shot in a building which is against the law. He shot at other people which is against the law,” said Johnson.
Attorney Fieger says we need to make guns less accessible somehow.
“These folks are the ones that are endangering all of us,” he said, pointing at the poster. “They are the ones that are out there screaming the loudest about taking away their gun rights.”
The lawsuit comes before the conclusion of funeral services for Justin Shilling. Some metro-Detroit education leaders called the timing of the lawsuit offensive.
“Filing lawsuits against teachers who were in the building at the time, one of whom was shot, many others traumatized by what took place. Suing them is just putting them through more trauma,” said Robert McCann, Executive Director of the K-12 Alliance.
“They allowed a deranged homicidal student to return to class with a gun in his backpack, with over 30 rounds of ammo in his backpack. When he had told him as much. He had written as much. He had drawn pictures of his plan and he was allowed to carry it out,” said Fieger.
“He doesn’t know what the facts are,” countered McCann.
“We included everyone because we are not certain who did what,” said Fieger.
An attorney for the school sent WXYZ a copy of a letter sent to Attorney Fieger. It notifies him that the Dean of Students named in the lawsuit has not worked at the high school for more than a year.
"It is this type of misrepresentation that has resulted in school employees receiving death threats," says the letter written by Attorney Timothy Mullins.
