His parents are the first to be prosecuted and convicted in relation to a mass shooting, which has sparked spirited conversations about whether this was the right move on the part of the authorities. Discussions on the matter involve gun control, mental health, and other vital factors.

It is undoubtedly a tough case to suss out, given the circumstances surrounding the shooting, with compelling arguments on both sides of this debate.

The case against the Crumbleys found the couple accused of gross negligence. They bought their son a Sig Sauer 9mm pistol as a Christmas gift. Ethan later began exhibiting signs of mental distress.

Ethan Crumbley sketched images of a gun, a bullet and a wounded man on a math paper, accompanied by despondent phrases: “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me. Blood everywhere. My life is useless.”

Ethan Crumbley had told a counselor he was sad — a grandmother had died and his only friend suddenly had moved away — but said the drawing only reflected his interest in creating video games.

During the trial, text messages sent between the couple and their son revealed even more mental health issues. In one exchange, Ethan texted Jennifer, saying that “the house is now haunted” and that “Some weird s**t just happened and now I’m scared.”

It appears that Jennifer did not delve into this further.

In another exchange, Ethan texted a friend, explaining that he asked his father to take him to the doctor. “But he just gave me some pills and told me to ‘suck it up,'” Ethan wrote, also noting that his mother “laughed at” him when he asked to go to the doctor.

In fact, Jennifer Crumbley did an internet search for “clinical depression treatment options” the day before the shooting. However, she later disregarded learning that her son had gotten in trouble for looking up images of bullets on school computers. “Lol I’m not mad, you have to learn not to get caught.”

On the day of the shooting, Ethan and his mother had a disturbing text message exchange.

On the morning of the shooting, Wagrowski also testified, Oxford High School staff called Jennifer and James Crumbley to the school to discuss their son’s drawings of a gun and bullet-riddled body on a math worksheet. The parents and son attended a meeting with a school counselor that lasted less than 15 minutes, and after they left one of the first things Jennifer Crumbley did was send a message asking after the health of her horse.

Ethan Crumbley also sent his mother a text message stating “I love you” about two hours after the meeting concluded. Per the text record, Jennifer Crumbley didn’t respond until later that afternoon, after she received news that there was an emergency at the high school.

“I love you too,” she said. “You OK? Ethan don’t do it.”

However, it seems the parents still did not believe their son was disturbed to the point that he would carry out such an act – at least not until the day of the shooting. However, it is not clear whether the last message was an attempt to convince Ethan not to engage in violence or if it referred to something else.

Still, there are plausible arguments in favor of prosecuting the parents. While they claim they did not know their son had been considering carrying out the shooting, there were clear signs that he was mentally disturbed. From his hallucinations and paranoia to his drawings and other messages asking for help, it was impossible to ignore.

Moreover, their decision to purchase a firearm for the 15-year-old was questionable, especially if he had already been exhibiting signs of mental illness. It is one thing to teach your son how to shoot a handgun; it is quite another to purchase one for him – especially if there are clear issues.

Finally, the Crumbleys' conviction could possibly prevent future tragedies by sending the message that parents of school shooters could be held responsible. There is a chance that it might motivate parents to act earlier if they see that their child is exhibiting the type of warning signs that are typically seen before someone finally decides to commit mass murder.

On the other side, however, it is worth considering the idea that the Crumbleys are being scapegoated for systemic failures in addressing gun violence and mental health issues in America. This is far from a call from gun control. But the fact remains that in most of the mass shootings the nation has seen over recent years, the culprit showed signs that they might carry out a violent act. Many were known to the authorities before they made their decisions, yet nobody intervened. In this case, it appears none of the adults involved, including the parents and members of the school staff, notified the authorities.

It is also worth noting that the parents were technically not breaking the law by purchasing the firearm. In Michigan, there are exceptions for adult supervision when it comes to allowing kids to practice with guns. Ethan took the handgun without his parents’ knowledge when he carried out the shooting, meaning that he committed the crime of illegally carrying the firearm.

Lastly, this case could set a precedent that could be applied to parents who do not deserve punishment. In cases such as these, it is typical for the parents to be unaware of the extent to which mental illness has affected their child. Prosecuting these individuals does not help to solve the mass shooting problem and will only result in undeserving people being imprisoned.

Now that the Crumbleys have been convicted, it will be interesting to see how cases such as these play out in the future. It marks a watershed moment in the ongoing debate over gun violence and mass shootings. Either way, it presents a painful reminder to parents and members of communities across the country that mental health issues should not be swept under the rug. It is the people closest to the situation that must act to maintain a level of vigilance to ensure these tragedies don’t continue to happen.