(WXYZ) — Guidepost Solutions has issued its after-action report on the law enforcement response to the November 2021 Oxford High School shootings that killed four students.
According to Guidepost, the report focuses on:
- The effectiveness of the response by first responders, including but not limited to law enforcement, fire, EMS, emergency management, crisis counseling, and mental health coordinators;
- Command and coordination, communications including 9-1-1 operations, and interagency information sharing;
- Recovery efforts, including those involving the mental health of the community and first responders; and
- Strengths and weaknesses in protocols, policies, procedures, as well as training within all relevant first responder and governmental entities.
While the report does laud the response to the shootings, it did "identify certain breakdowns in command, coordination, communication, and training, which demonstrate the need for improved rapid response protocols, rescue task force (RTF) training, and enhanced tactical medical readiness. It is vital to victim survival, in cases where the injuries are not inherently fatal, that fire, EMS, and law enforcement agencies are trained to deploy integrated response teams quickly and effectively."
For the sheriff's office, the report "identified some deficiencies in: (i) the establishment of a unified command; (ii) communication practices upon entry into an active shooter scene; (iii) protocols related to the division of responsibilities between the OCSO School Resource Officer (SRO) and school security; and (iv) training."
The report does highlight issues raised by the lack of communication, including the delay in establishing a chain of command:
There were some breakdowns in communication regarding the locations of officers and victims early in the response. For example, the first two officers to enter OHS, while understandably focused on the apprehension of the shooter, did not provide updates on their own movements, victim locations, or conditions via radio. Best practices suggest that, as the first responders on the scene, they are the “de facto” command and should not only announce their entry point but also provide information about what they saw as they came upon the victims in the hallway. Also, due to a lack of effective communication, some efforts were duplicated. Injuries were reported multiple times and OHS surveillance depicted numerous deputies clearing the same hallways.
In the response by first responders, the report found "areas for improvement with respect to (i) command, (ii) communications, (iii) protocols – in this case with regards to staging, and (iv) training." One place where the report is critical in the response is in how fire crews were dispatched to the scene. It found:
We identified an unnecessary delay in dispatching OFD in response to those calls. At 12:52:32, the first 9-1-1 call came in with a definitive report of injury. At specifically 2:19 minutes into the call, at 12:54:51, the caller confirmed a victim shot. At 12:52:59 information regarding shots fired was dispatched to all OCSO units on radio East channel. OFD was not dispatched until 12:59:56. Best practices suggest dispatch should be within 15-30 seconds of receipt of a call, and within no more than 60 seconds. The call data reviewed indicates that the call takers recognized this incident as a confirmed active shooter event well before the decision to dispatch the fire department.
The report suggests that "in low occurrence-high threat events such as active shooter incidents, especially those at schools, it is logical that all necessary resources be dispatched even before confirmation of injuries."
As for the cooperation among agencies in responding to the situation, the report "identified deficiencies within the agencies’ communication, a lack of joint training exercises, and other coordination problems."
To strengthen active assailant preparedness, we recommend that first responder agencies in Oakland County adopt county-wide integrated policies that clearly define expectations for law enforcement, fire, and EMS agencies. A county-wide “integrated active assailant response plan” would involve predetermined checklists for supervisors and clear tactical procedures for law enforcement, fire, EMS, and emergency management.
Another place where communication was an issue was in the reunification process. According to the report:
While many OHS families reported a positive experience with the reunification process, the approach fell short in providing sufficient communication and emotional support to the families of the victims. The families of Madisyn, Tate, and Hana came to the reunification center with the expectation of reuniting with their children. However, after two hours and no more students arriving from the school, the parents were ushered into a store breakroom where they were informed that their children were killed. Madisyn’s and Hana’s families were subsequently transported to the OCSO Oxford Substation. Our discussions with Nicole Beausoleil, Buck Myre and Steven St. Juliana suggest that families did not approve of the means and/or manner by which the information was relayed. While they understood that there was no perfect way to convey this information, Nicole Beausoleil felt that the words were emotionally disconnected and significantly contributed to the continued trauma suffered. All agreed that OCSO’s delayed disclosure of their children’s passing, repetition of additional buses coming, and overall silence gave the impression that officers were not being forthcoming.
Four students were killed during the shooting: Tate Myre, Justin Shilling, Hana St. Juliana, and Madisyn Baldwin. Seven other people were injured.
The school shooter pleaded guilty in the case and was sentenced to life without parole. He was 15 at the time of the shooting. James and Jennifer Crumbley were both convicted on four counts of involuntary manslaughter related to the shooting carried out by their son.
Oxford did hire Guidepost Solutions to conduct an investigation. That investigation was released in October 2023 and was a 572-page report that detailed what district officials may have known about the shooter. However, the families said that many people refused to cooperate and left key questions unanswered because they didn't have subpoena power.
WATCH BELOW: Independent firm releases Oxford High School shooting investigation report; here's what they found
In response to the release of the law enforcement after-action report, which specifically calls for more training across agencies, Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter released the following statement:
Oakland County is committed to taking an open and honest look at how we respond to emergency events, including active assailant incidents like the Oxford High School shooting. The county has held a robust schedule of training for our thousands of first responders during the last 15 years, but we know that there are always lessons to be learned and ways to strengthen our response to prevent and address these tragedies. We saw on that day how our first responders reacted with dedication and courage in the face of horrifying violence, and this report reinforces their immense bravery. It also includes important insights that will help us build on the comprehensive strategies we already have in place, and we hope it will provide some long-awaited answers for the families and community.
You can read the entire report from Guidepost Solutions below: (**WARNING** The report contain details on the injuries suffered by the victims of the shooting.)
Guidepost Solutions Oakland County After Action Report and Appendices by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit
The report also includes a full timeline of the events. You can read that below:
Oxford High School Shooting Timeline - Guidepost Solutions by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit
