Oxford school shooting victim’s brother: ‘Never in my life will I feel this pain again’
By Alisha Ebrahimji and Christina Zdanowicz, CNN
Friends, family and an entire Michigan high school are grieving the loss of four students after a 15-year-old sophomore allegedly opened fire during the school day, killing four peers and shooting seven others on campus.
A suspect was in custody and charged after Tuesday’s shooting at Oxford High School, authorities said. More than 100 calls to 911 were made during the attack.
The slain students were Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; Hana St. Juliana, 14; and Justin Shilling, 17, authorities said. The incident was the deadliest shooting at a US K-12 campus since 2018 and the 32nd such attack since August 1.
Here’s what we know about some of the victims:
Madisyn Baldwin, 17
Madisyn Baldwin was expected to graduate this year, her family told CNN affiliate WDIV, and had already been accepted to several colleges — some with full scholarships.
Her grandmother, Jennifer Graves Mosqueda, whom Baldwin knew as GiGi, announced the family’s loss on Facebook and created a GoFundMe campaign on behalf of Baldwin’s mother and father.
“This beautiful, smart, sweet loving girl was tragically taken from us all today leaving a huge hole in all of our hearts … ,” Graves Mosqueda wrote on Facebook. “This horrific day could never have been imagined or planned for.”
“My daughter and son-in-law would never ask for anything during this time, however I want them to be able to be with each other, their other children and family during this time without worrying about work, bills and arrangements,” she wrote on the campaign site.
Baldwin was an artist who loved to draw, read and write, her family told WDIV. She was the eldest of three siblings, had a younger half-brother and two sisters she loved dearly, they said.
Tate Myre, 16
It’s clear Tate Myre was dedicated to his sport. He was a star football player who had earned a spot on the varsity team since he was a freshman at Oxford High School, the team said in a tweet.
Not only was he talented on the field, he excelled academically and was an honor student.
“It is with great grief that one of the victims of the tragic event at OHS today was one of our own, Tate Myre,” the team tweeted Tuesday evening. “Tate was a great young man with a bright future and beloved by all. You will be missed, Tate.”
Myre’s own Twitter account is full of game highlights and scrimmage videos showcasing his abilities. One of his last tweets, on November 28, thanked the University of Toledo football team for having him at one of their games.
A deputy after the shooting had loaded Myre into their car, where he died on the way to the hospital, the sheriff said.
“My life has been broken just like that,” Ty Myre, who identified himself as Tate’s older brother, wrote on Instagram. “Never in my life will I feel this pain again. This still isn’t right it can’t be. I miss you with everything in my heart Tate. What I would do to see to one more time.”
“Listen to your voice one more time, block for you one more time, wrestle one more time. I had such high hopes for your future and I couldn’t wait to see you make your dream come true and for me to be right by your side along that road.”
Growing up, the two argued and fought like siblings usually do, Ty said, but over the past two years they pair developed “a close bond,” and the loss of Tate has left his brother in shock.
An online petition has surfaced calling for the school’s football stadium to be renamed after Myre.
“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,” the petition says.
As of Friday morning, it had collected over 200,000 signatures.
Hana St. Juliana, 14
The Oxford High School women’s basketball team shared a tribute Wednesday to 14-year-old school shooting victim Hana St. Juliana.
“We will never forget your kind heart, silly personality, and passion for the game,” the team wrote on Twitter. “Since 6th grade camp you have stayed dedicated to Oxford Basketball, soaking in the game.”
The team stated Tuesday night it would have been her debut with the team.
“This season we play for you Hana,” the team wrote.
Justin Shilling, 17
Justin Shilling, who died Wednesday morning, was a scholar who was part of Oxford School District’s Baccalaureate program, a lettered athlete, and a university scholarship awardee and beloved by so many in his community, family and school, his family said in a statement.
“His potential was boundless in life and yet in death he continues to give of himself as an organ doner (sic). We feel the world can’t have too much of Justin,” the statement reads. “The loss of Justin leaves such a gaping hole in our family that we cannot conceive of life without him.”
Kevin Shilling, Justin’s uncle, created a GoFundMe account to help cover medical expenses for him, he wrote on the fund.
“I cannot describe to you the grief that our family is feeling from this senseless and unimaginable tragedy,” the fund says. “If you would like to make a donation, I can assure that the funds will be used to honor the memory of this wonderful young man that has been taken from us far too soon.”
His family described him as a “tireless worker with three jobs that he juggled along with his studies.”
Anita’s Kitchen, where Shilling worked, shared a statement on social media about him.
“We’ve just learned of the passing of one of our bright, young Lake Orion employees, Justin Shilling, in relation to the tragic events that took place at Oxford High School yesterday,” a message from his workplace reads. “Justin was an exemplary employee, a devoted friend and co-worker, co-captain of his bowling team, and simply a pleasure to be around. Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.”
The family-owned business has three locations in Michigan and has employed many Oxford High School students.
“Since we opened our doors in Lake Orion in December of 2019, much of our staff has consisted of Oxford High School students,” the business wrote. “We often marvel at how blessed we are to have such amazing kids as part of our Lake Orion team. Simply put — we would not be a restaurant without them. Our heart aches for them all today, as they begin to heal from this terrible tragedy.”
6 other students and a teacher were shot
Seven others — six students and a teacher — were shot, authorities said.
Among the wounded were a 14-year-old girl who was on a ventilator following surgery, Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said Tuesday night. A 14-year-old boy also had a gunshot wound to the jaw and head, while the teacher who was shot has been discharged.
Senior Aiden Page was in a classroom when he heard two gunshots Tuesday afternoon — part of what authorities called a sophomore’s “absolutely cold-hearted, murderous” rampage.
Just like in the active shooter drills they’d practiced, Page watched his teacher run in and lock the door, then students shoved desks against it, he told CNN’s Anderson Cooper.
“We grabbed calculators, we grabbed scissors just in case the shooter got in and we had to attack them,” he said.
Honoring the victims
The Detroit Lions will honor the victims of the Oxford High School shooting before the team’s home game against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, head coach Dan Campbell told reporters on Friday.
The Lions will hold a moment of silence before kickoff at Ford Field.
“I know us as the players, the organization, everybody, you know just as a starting point, man, we’re going to have t-shirts, we got hats made, we’re going to have decals on the back of the helmets,” Campbell said regarding the team’s plans to honor those impacted by Tuesday’s tragedy.
Oxford High School is located about 45 minutes north of Detroit, Michigan.
The Lions won’t be the only football team to honor Oxford this weekend. This Saturday, the University of Michigan football team will feature Oxford’s “Block O’ logo on the Wolverines” uniforms when they face Iowa in the Big Ten championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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CNN’s Kristina Sgueglia and Amanda Jackson contributed to this report.
