Michigan school shooting: Artist who helped James and Jennifer Crumbley cooperating

A Detroit-area artist whose studio was where the parents of the Oxford High School student charged in a deadly shooting were found by police is cooperating with authorities and didn't know the couple had stayed overnight, his attorney has said.

James and Jennifer Crumbley, who face involuntary manslaughter counts, were found at the weekend inside a Detroit commercial building. The couple's attorneys have said they didn't intend to flee, countering authorities who accused them of eluding capture for their alleged role in a school shooting that left four students dead. Their 15-year-old son, Ethan Crumbley, has been charged as an adult with murder, terrorism and other crimes.

Ethan Crumbley, 15, who is charged as an adult with murder and terrorism for a shooting that killed four fellow students at Oxford High School. Photo / AP

The couple went to artist Andrzej Sikora's studio inside the downtown building Friday morning (local time), but the artist was unaware of the charges against the couple or that they stayed after he left for the day, according to attorney Clarence Dass. He said Sikora had a "friendly relationship" with the Crumbleys but declined to give details, citing an active investigation.

Dass said when the artist awoke Saturday and heard the news of authorities taking the couple into custody, he voluntarily contacted authorities. Authorities had been looking for the couple since Friday afternoon.

"There was a lot of confusion and the Crumbleys went to him for safety. He didn't know about the charges," Dass said. "They were there in the daytime. He left in the early evening. He didn't even know they were still there."

Sikora, 65, has not been charged, but Detroit police have said the Crumbleys "were aided in getting into the building", and that a person who helped them may also face charges. Detroit police did not have further information Sunday.

Oakland County Undersheriff Michael McCabe confirmed that Sikora's attorney had made contact and authorities were setting up an interview.

Sikora, a Polish-born American artist who lives in Oakland County, largely works on murals, which can be found around the Detroit area, including on homes and businesses.

James Crumbley and Jennifer Crumbley. The parents of Ethan Crumbley are accused of involuntary manslaughter. Photo / AP

Six students and a teacher were also injured in last week's shooting at Oxford High School, roughly 50km north of Detroit.

On Friday, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald's office made the rare decision to file charges against Ethan Crumbley's parents. Prosecutors accused them of failing to intervene on the day of the shooting despite being confronted with a drawing and chilling message — "blood everywhere" — that was found at their son's desk. They could each face up to 15 years in prison.

The Crumbleys committed "egregious" acts, from buying a gun on Black Friday and making it available to their son to resisting his removal from school when they were summoned a few hours before Tuesday's shooting, McDonald alleged.

Defence attorneys for the Crumbleys have argued that they never intended to flee and had made plans to meet their lawyers Saturday morning.

- AP