A courageous teenager shared her harrowing experience of saving a severely wounded girl during the tragic Michigan school shooting in 2021. Heidi Allen, 17, testified in court, describing how she moved the injured girl to an empty classroom, applied first aid to stop the bleeding, and offered support through prayer.
In her testimony, Heidi recounted asking the girl if she knew who God was, and the girl’s response of not being fully aware. Heidi expressed her belief that she was meant to be present in that moment, feeling a sense of purpose and gratitude for being unharmed amidst the chaos.
Heidi vividly recalled the moment Ethan Crumbley, the perpetrator of the shooting, emerged from a bathroom with a gun. She explained how time seemed to slow down, and she instinctively sought protection by covering her head. The sound of the gun firing echoed loudly, resembling a balloon pop or the slamming of a locker. In the midst of uncertainty, Heidi relied on prayer to sustain her.
While Heidi was fortunate to escape being shot, she recounted taking a traumatized girl into a classroom, securing the door with a portable lock, and applying pressure to her wounds. Despite her own emotions, Heidi provided reassurance to the girl, assuring her that she would be okay.
The shooter, who was 15 at the time, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including murder and terrorism. However, due to legal considerations surrounding minors, there is no automatic life sentence. Defense attorneys argue that rehabilitation is possible, given the shooter’s troubled upbringing, neglectful parents, and untreated mental illness.
Testifying for the defense, former warden Ken Romanowski highlighted various prison programs aimed at rehabilitation, such as mental health therapy, anger management classes, and educational opportunities. He expressed his belief in the potential for change in every individual, although it ultimately requires the shooter’s personal commitment to transform.
Psychiatrist Dr. Fariha Qadir, who has treated the shooter extensively since his arrest, revealed his struggles with depression, hallucinations, and hearing voices. Through over a hundred conversations, she prescribed medication to address his mental health challenges.
The shooter’s parents, James and Jennifer Crumbley, also face charges of involuntary manslaughter for purchasing the gun used in the shooting and neglecting their son’s mental health needs.
During the hearing, other witnesses took the stand, including assistant principal Kristy Gibson-Marshall, who emotionally recounted her futile attempts to save student Tate Myre, whom she had known since he was three years old. Gibson-Marshall recalled feeling devastated as she tried to revive Tate, feeling the entrance wound on the back of his head. She expressed the lasting impact of the tragedy, stating that it took months to erase the taste of Tate’s blood from her memory.
The shooter passed by Gibson-Marshall without harming her, further highlighting the arbitrary nature of the attack. Another witness, a 16-year-old boy named Keegan Gregory, described his desperate efforts to survive by hiding in a bathroom with a fellow student, Justin Shilling, who unfortunately did not make it. Keegan managed to escape when he spotted an opportunity to run behind the shooter’s back.
The hearing is set to continue on Tuesday. If the shooter does not receive a life sentence, he could face a minimum prison term ranging from 25 to 40 years. Parole eligibility would then be determined by the parole board, which holds significant discretion in deciding whether to release a prisoner.
The tragic events of the day could have been prevented, as the shooter had displayed troubling signs earlier. School staff had met with the shooter and his parents after a teacher discovered drawings depicting a gun with the words, “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me.” Despite these concerns, the shooter was allowed to remain in school without his backpack being checked for weapons.
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