Oxford High School shooting victims can apply for payment from $2M fund

Victims of the mass shooting at Oxford High School can now apply for a portion of the $2 million donated through an online campaign.

Three groups of victims can apply:

► Legal heirs of those who were killed as a direct result of the shooting; 

► Those who were physically injured by gunshot or shrapnel and;

► Those who meet the eligibility requirements designated for psychological trauma. 

The funds came through a GoFundMe campaign in the wake of the Nov. 30 shooting during which four high school students were killed: Hana St. Juliana, 14; Madisyn Baldwin, 17; Tate Myre, 16; and Justin Shilling, 17.

Six students and a teacher were wounded.

The application is on the website for the National Compassion Fund, which is managing money donated to the Oxford High School Survivors Fund.

Fund officials said each type of application has several documents which need to be completed and uploaded as part of the process. Applicants should download and complete the documents for the category of benefits before beginning the online application. There are several signatures, witness and notarization requirements for each document, the National Compassion Fund said.

A final plan to distribute the donations was announced last month by an 11-member volunteer steering committee. The plan will include more students and staff than an initial proposal that drew criticism from the community.

The initial plan would have limited payments for psychological trauma to students who were in or near a single hallway, one restroom and one classroom where the shootings occurred.

That plan would have potentially excluded hundreds of students, staff and others who fled the building. Four students were killed and seven others, including a teacher, were wounded. 

The new plan extends eligibility to students and staff in three dozen classrooms and to anyone who rendered aid or took "extraordinary action" to prevent loss of life, regardless of their location on campus.

National Compassion Fund personnel will be in Oxford on April 25-26 and available to provide assistance in person.

Only one application can be submitted for each victim. Parents or guardians must submit applications on behalf of any students under the age of 18.

Eligible applicants must apply in order to be considered to receive money from the fund. All applications must be submitted by 6 p.m. May 6.

Funds are distributed once the local steering committee approves a distribution plan for approved applicants. Funds will be distributed by check and Zelle.

jchambers@detroitnews.com