In 1987, James Risen of the Los Angeles Times said "Murray–Wright had become one of the most violent schools in the city."

On October 18, 1985, during homecoming celebrations, four teenagers entered the American football game area in an automobile, two minutes before halftime during the Public School League game between Murray–Wright and Northwestern High School. When the car pulled behind the grandstands, one teenager fired on a crowd of 300 people with a shotgun, causing seven people to receive injuries. Six of the injured were teenagers, ranged in age from 13 to 19. One received critical injuries. All six received treatment at the Detroit Receiving Hospital. The shootings occurred at 4:15 PM, and the suspects left the scene. This shooting was the week's second shooting that had high school students involved. The shooting was the second one in a month in which Homecoming activities were involved. Police said that one of the suspects had been involved in a fight on an earlier occasion.

On April 16, 1987, a student at Murray–Wright entered the school parking lot and shot 17-year-old Chester Jackson, a junior running back, in the head, killing him. The attacker went into the gymnasium and shot 18-year-old Damon Matthews, a basketball player, in the face. Tomeka Turner, an 18-year-old, was wounded. Risen said that Turner's injuries occurred "apparently in the school's corridors as the attacker fled the building." The youth with facial injuries received treatment at the Detroit Receiving Hospital. The incident occurred around noon. The attacker, Michael Schofield, was 14 at the time of the crime. Schofield, 15 years old at sentencing, was sentenced to serve in a juvenile correctional facility until he turned 19. Schofield killed four people in 2003 during an attempted robbery of a convenience store in Westland, Michigan, and then killed himself. The Los Angeles Times News Service said that the 1987 Murray–Wright shooting was the incident that put "most clearly into focus" the epidemic of youth violence in Detroit.

After the murder and shootings, school officials started a plan to reduce violence in the school. The school was closed for two days as officials held special assemblies concerning school violence. The school officials said that of the students who appeared at the assemblies at Murray–Wright, half appeared with their parents. This occurred despite fears that few parents would appear.
Can you give me a short bulleted list of the Murray-Wright's violent activities of the 1980s?
I'd be happy to give you a list of Murray–Wright High School's violent acts of the 1980s:
 - On October 18, 1985 four teenagers shot upon a crowd attending a homecoming football game injuring seven.
 - On April 16, 1987, a 14 year old Murray-Wright student named Michael Schofield shot and killed 17-year old Chester Jackson. He proceeded to shoot an 18 year-old in the face and wound another before fleeing the scene.
Let me know if you'd like any other information about Murray-Wright High School.