Michigan's community of Oxford Township is mourning the loss of four young lives following a school shooting earlier this week. Tuesday's shooting at Oxford High School in Oxford Township, a community of about 22,000 people roughly 30 miles north of Detroit, initially claimed the lives of three students: Tate Myre, Hana St. Juliana and Madisyn Baldwin.On Wednesday, officials announced a fourth student, a 17-year-old boy named Justin Shilling, succumbed to his injuries. Six other students and one teacher were also injured in the incident. The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said that as of Wednesday three victims remain hospitalized. Four have been treated and released. The school's website read, "As we grapple with the horrific tragedy in our school community, we grieve the students who lost their lives and we ache for all those who have been injured and impacted."Oxford High School is closed for the rest of the week. Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard tweeted Wednesday that his "heart aches for families that will never be the same and a quiet sweet community that had its innocence shattered."The shooter, Ethan Crumbley, 15, is facing two dozen charges including first-degree murder, terrorism and various counts of assault.Here's what we know about the students who were killed.
Madisyn Baldwin, 17
Tarah Baldwin told one local news station that her niece was "the light of so many people." The 17-year-old senior had just transferred to the school this year, Tarah Baldwin said."Very artsy, very smart, very intelligent, who was going very far in this world," she told WXYZ.Her family told a localnews station that she was expected to graduate this year and had already been accepted to several schools, some with full ride scholarships.They said Baldwin loved to draw, read and write.
Tate Myre, 16
Myre was a linebacker and tight end on the Oxford High football team. The 16-year-old died in a patrol car while being transported to the hospital by an officer, Bouchard confirmed during a news conference Tuesday. According to the Oxford High football team, Myre was on varsity since his freshman year and was an honor student. The team shared their loss on Twitter writing, "Tate was a great young man with a bright future and beloved by all.""Tate was and will always be a beaming light for Oxford. It's hard to put into words what he meant to me, but he will hold a special place in my heart forever," the team's head coach, Zach Line, personally shared on Twitter. "God reaches down and touches certain people, he was one of those people."Posts shared online said Myre attempted to disarm the shooter and save other students during the incident. NPR reached out to the Oakland County Sheriff's Office to confirm this account.A petition online is gaining steam to get the school's football stadium renamed after Myre for his bravery, according to a Change.org campaign.The petition reads, "Tate is not just a hero to his fellow students at Oxford high school but a legend, his act of bravery should be remembered forever and passed down through generations, he put his life in danger to try and help the thousands of other students at Oxford High School."
Hana St. Juliana, 14
The Oxford shooting's youngest victim was St. Juliana, a freshman. She was considered a "beloved member of her school's volleyball and basketball teams."We will never forget your kind heart, silly personality, and passion for the game. Since 6th grade camp you have stayed dedicated to Oxford Basketball, soaking in the game," the basketball team wrote. "This season we play for you Hana."A close friend of the family told WXYZ in Detroit that St. Juliana loved to babysit and be around kids and traditions with her family and friends that revolved around food. "She was kind and genuine to her core," said the friend, Jennifer Curtis.
Justin Shilling, 17
Shilling was a senior at Oxford and co-captain of the school's bowling team.In his free time, he worked at a local restaurant called Anita's Kitchen."Justin was an exemplary employee, a devoted friend and co-worker, co-captain of his bowling team, and simply a pleasure to be around," the restaurant wrote in a tribute on Facebook. Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.