OXFORD, Mich. (WXYZ) — As schools across metro Detroit shut down due to "copycat" threats, an Oxford High School student is speaking out. She says schools are doing the right thing by being extra cautious.
“It is traumatizing,” said Courtney Hall, an Oxford High School Junior, of what she has been through since a deadly mass shooting at her school.
Hall says she is hurting, grieving, and empathizing with those who witnessed the shooting. She wasn’t there because this year she is attending Oxford High virtually, but it is still her school community. She got notice as it happened that there was an active shooter in the school.
“Then I heard the sirens. And that is when it clicked for me that this is actually happening. And I immediately started thinking of all my friends and started texting them. There was a moment where no one was texting. And it was just silence,” said Hall.
She soon learned she personally knew and had a friendship with two of the four students killed. She wants everyone to focus now on those recovering and on honoring the memories of Tate Myre, Hanna St. Juliana, Madisyn Baldwin, and Justin Shilling, who lost their lives.
“I just want everyone to know that each and every one of them are beautiful people and so friendly and caring,” said Hall.
“We can’t even begin to imagine the victims and their families and the pain they are going through, and that has been hard,” said Jason Hall, Courtney’s dad.
Jason Hall wants us, as a community, to learn from what happened to prevent future tragedies. He and his daughter want to know more about the meetings the school had with the student charged the day before and of the shooting and why the sheriff apparently wasn’t contacted. Did anyone know anything that should have been reported? They know the answers are not all known. They say schools closing due to threats this week out of an abundance of caution are doing the right thing, even if some are frustrated by the closures.
“I want other districts in the state and the nation to take threats seriously and do what they can to protect students,” said Courtney.
Courtney says she doesn’t blame anyone other than the shooter for what happened, but wants everyone to analyze and learn from what happened to find innovative ways to protect all students.
“There is a wide range of trauma here and many levels of it. My thoughts are with all of them on many levels of it No one should have to go through this again,” said Jason.
Jason said right now his family will focus on the people hurt and honoring the memory of those who lost their lives.
