With Crumbleys sentenced, what Oxford has learned about guns

OXFORD, Mich. (FOX 2) - It's been over two years since a 15-year-old pulled a gun out of his backpack in the bathroom stall at Oxford High School. He'll spend the rest of his life in prison after pleading guilty. His parents will also spend time in prison – up to 15 years – after being convicted in individual cases on involuntary manslaughter charges.

Now, 28 months after the tragic shooting, the state has new gun laws in place. But did the shooting change the minds of people in the city of Oxford when it comes to owning a gun and parenting? 

RELATED: James and Jennifer Crumbley shift blame during sentencing, apologize for son's actions

During her closing argument in the trial of James Crumbley, Prosecutor Karen McDonald said the ‘smallest of efforts’ could have prevented the shooting.

In Oxford, some have moved on but many are using the shooting as a lesson about guns.

Paul Dafoe graduated from Oxford High School in 1993. He told us it's simple when it comes to guns: lock them up.

"We’re still seeing all kinds of things going on with guns. Just heard about a five-year-old shooting a six-year-old or six-year-old shooting a five-year-old last week," he said. "If you have a gun, make sure it’s locked up. Make sure you know where it’s at. Make sure it’s not accessible for kids to get to."

But many in Oxford have learned a lesson about reasonable and bipartisan gun control legislation.

"This is a whole new way that our nation needs to go forward. Because of Oxford? Because of Oxford, we need to see to be interdependent, we need to collaborate," David Strubler said.

Not everyone thinks the lesson was learned. John Hudson said more needs to happen.

"I’m not sure the message is still there yet," he said.

In the months and years after the shooting, the state enacted red flag laws, trigger lock laws, and extra background checks. Strubler said, because of the new laws, people who don't take care of their weapons appropriately will pay the consequences.

"We don’t have a lot of strange people out here but we do have a few. And the message to those people is that you’re gonna be held responsible if they don’t take care of the kids."