Three Michigan State University students were killed and five were injured in a shooting Monday night at two campus locations, police said. The wounded students remain in critical condition, according to the university.
The gunman — identified as a 43-year-old man not affiliated with the university — died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. A search warrant was executed at a home connected with the suspect and authorities are still investigating a motive.
The attack at the large university located in East Lansing, Michigan, was the 67th mass shooting in 2023, according to gun violence data, and came just hours before the five-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida.
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Our live coverage of the mass shooting at Michigan State University has ended. Follow the latest news here or read through the updates below.
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Michigan State University shooter pleaded guilty to firearm charge in 2019, court records show
From CNN's Casey Tolan
Anthony McRae is seen in this 2019 photo provided by the Michigan Department of Corrections.
(Michigan Department of Corrections)
The suspect in the Michigan State University shooting previously pleaded guilty to a firearm charge, according to court records.
Anthony Dwayne McRae was arrested in 2019 and charged with a felony for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. He later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for possession of a loaded firearm and spent a year and a half on probation.
Around 2 a.m. ET on June 7, 2019, according to court records, a Lansing Police Department officer saw McRae sitting on the back steps of an abandoned building smoking a cigarette. The officer, who was patrolling the area after burglaries in the vicinity, asked McRae if he had any weapons, and McRae said that he did.
The officer patted McRae down and confirmed that he had a loaded semi-automatic pistol in his pants pocket, as well as another magazine for the gun in his breast pocket.
McRae admitted that he did not have a concealed pistol license and the officer arrested him. McRae told the officer he carried the gun for his safety and was trying to obtain a concealed permit for the weapon. According to court records, the officer confirmed the gun was registered to McRae.
A lawyer for McRae initially argued that the officer lacked probable cause to search him.
In October 2019, McRae pleaded guilty to misdemeanorpossession of a loaded firearm, according to a statement from John J. Dewane, Ingham County prosecutor.
The next month, McRae was sentenced to a year of probation, which was later extended to a year and a half. He agreed to forfeit the gun involved in the case and was banned from owning weapons during his probation, court records show.
He was discharged from probation in May 2021 after completing all of the terms, Dewane’s statement read.
McRae would not have been recommended for a jail or prison sentence even if he had been convicted by a jury for the original felony charge due to Michigan’s sentencing guidelines, Dewane’s statement read.
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FBI and police will assist MSU community in recovering personal items left behind after Monday's shooting
From CNN's Sara Smart
A police car blocks off a street on the campus Michigan State University onTuesday, February 14.
FBI victim specialists and agents will help with the process, which will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, police said.
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One MSU student also survived the Oxford school shooting in Michigan, father says
From CNN’s Amanda Jackson
Emma and Matt Riddle
(Courtesy Matt Riddle)
It’s been less than 15 months since the Oxford, Michigan school shooting left four students dead and six others injured. It’s the shooting where Matt Riddle’s daughter, Emma, hid inside the band hall of Oxford High School behind a barricaded door. The students eventually fled to a store in the area, Riddle said.
Riddle recalls getting a call from his daughter that day, telling him she was running away. Months later on Monday night, he received a similar call from his daughter who was hiding in her dorm room at Michigan State University.
Emma, 18, told her dad she and her roommate shut the lights off, closed the window, barricaded the door and hid under their desks after they received a university alert Monday night. He told CNN his daughter was “shocked” as well as “very fearful and scared.”
The two exchanged texts and phone calls over the course of three hours as police searched for the shooting suspect who’s accused of taking the lives of three students and injuring five others.
“It was hard because it was three hours from the initial event till it was resolved,” he said. “Not knowing what was happening and the danger was hard.”
As the situation began to resolve, Riddle, who lives about an hour and a half away in Oxford, drove to the campus to pick up Emma and her roommate.
Emma, a freshman studying history at MSU, tweeted early Tuesday morning:
Her dad said she is home for now until classes start up again and is working through the trauma.
His advice for other parents is to just be there for their kids and let them know they aren’t alone. He added that being around other family members and support groups can also help process the trauma, but reminded parents that “there isn’t shame or guilt if you can’t be everything.”
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Shooting victim Brian Fraser remembered at vigil in Grosse Pointe, Michigan
From CNN’s Sara Smart
A photo of Brian Fraser shared by his fraternity Phi Delta Theta.
(From Phi Delta Theta)
A vigil for Brian Fraser, one of the students killed in a mass shooting at Michigan State University, was held Tuesday evening in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.
Two other people were also killed in the shooting. Fraser, a native of Grosse Point, was a sophomore at the university.
Friends and supporters console each other during a memorial service for Brian Fraser in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, on Tuesday, February 14.
(David Guralnick/Detroit News/AP)
During the vigil, St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church was full of people from the community, with even some standing along the side walls.
Students and peers of Fraser’s could be seen embracing one another during the church service.
CNN’s Cara-Lynn Clarkson contributed to this post.
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East Lansing mayor calls for legislative action to make it harder for "dangerous individuals" to obtain guns
From CNN’s Sara Smart
Ron Bacon, mayor of East Lansing, Michigan
(CNN)
East Lansing Mayor Ron Bacon said the community is working on starting to rebuild after Monday night’s mass shooting on Michigan State University’s campus.
“It’s simply terrifying,” Bacon said. “I feel for our children and young people,”
The mayor called for legislative action, including making it harder for “dangerous individuals” to obtain weapons.
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Video shows tense moment as Michigan State students barricade themselves inside classroom
From CNN's Sharif Paget
(Courtesy Joshua Thomas)
Tense, scary and chaotic was how Michigan State University student Joshua Thomas described his experience hunkering down in a classroom with dozens of students as a gunman went on a deadly shooting spree Monday night.
Thomas was in the school’s STEM building on the first floor when he and other students received an email from the university about an active shooter.
“That’s when everyone started to panic,” Thomas said.
Thomas, and a group of about 15 other students, went up to the third floor, looking for a place to hide. He said someone stuck their head out of a classroom and signaled for them to come inside.
“Right after we got in, they barricaded the room with the tables,” he said. Thomas said there were around 75 students in the room.
After about four hours, the students heard a knock on the door and saw someone waving a flashlight. Students believed it could’ve been a police officer, but they were not sure, so one student called 911. On the phone, the dispatcher told them that officers were not on the third floor yet, so they kept the door shut.
In a video shot by Thomas, students are seen in a classroom with the lights turned off as someone shining a flashlight approaches the door and knocks. Someone inside the classroom is then seen walking over to the front door to remove a table that was being used as a barricade.
“Sit down, I’m talking to the cops right now,” a student can be heard saying in the video. “They said don’t open the door,” another student yells.
Thomas said the person did not open the door and the students stayed in the classroom for another 40 minutes before the police arrived.
“I never thought it would happen to me, I always felt safe on campus. I love this place, but after this, my sense of security completely dropped. I do not feel safe,” Thomas said.
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Mass shooting and manhunt were a “double trauma” for students, Rep. Slotkin says
From CNN's Jack Forrest
Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin
(CNN)
The mass shooting and manhunt on the Michigan State University campus Monday night were a “double trauma,” Michigan Rep. Elissa Slotkin told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Tuesday.
“And everyone felt the effects. Over 50,000 students are here, so it’s a traumatic thing that’s going take a while to get over,” said the Democrat, who represents East Lansing, home of the MSU campus.
Many students spent the night holed up in their rooms following the traumatic incident, she said.
The broader Michigan community, many with connections to MSU, have offered an outpouring of support, Slotkin said.
Many Michiganders believe a person can be a gun owner, an avid hunter, “grow up with weapons the way I did – and still believe in keeping kids safe in a place of sanctuary like a school.”
Slotkin added: “People on the ground know you can believe in gun ownership and gun safety, they’re not mutually exclusive.”
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2 victims went to high schools in same district, superintendent says
From CNN’s Sara Smart
Jon Dean, superintendent of Grosse Pointe Public Schools
(WDIV)
Two of the Michigan State University victims went to high school in the same district, Jon Dean, superintendent of Grosse Pointe Public Schools, said at a press conference Tuesday.
Arielle Anderson and Brian Fraser graduated in 2021 from Grosse Pointe high schools, according to Dean. Anderson attended Grosse Pointe North and Fraser attended Grosse Pointe South.
Both schools are offering mental health opportunities for all students, teachers and staff, according to Dean.
Grosse Pointe is in Wayne County, about eight miles from Detroit.
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Police identify third victim killed in Michigan State University shooting
From CNN’s Sara Smart
Arielle Anderson
(Family photo)
Arielle Anderson, a junior, is the third victim of the shooting at Michigan State University, according to a statement from the university’s police department.
Anderson is from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, the statement said.
The other two victims were identified earlier as a sophomore, Brian Fraser, also from Grosse Pointe, and a junior, Alexandria Verner, from Clawson, Michigan.
The five other victims of the shooting remain in the hospital in critical condition, the statement said.
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Authorities are still investigating a motive behind the MSU shooting. Here's what you should know
From CNN staff
A day after a mass shooting on the campus of Michigan State University, authorities are investigating the motive for the rampage that left three students dead and five others wounded Monday night.
The gunman, who according to police had no known ties to the campus in East Lansing, Michigan, died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
If you’re just now catching up, here’s what you should know:
The victims:Brian Fraser and Arielle Anderson, both from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and Alexandria Verner, from Clawson, Michigan, died in the mass shooting Monday night, according to an MSU police news release. Verner was remembered by Clawson Public Schools Superintendent Billy Shellenbarger for her kindness, positivity and for being “everything you’d want your daughter or friend to be.”
MSU response: The first report of shots fired came at 8:18 p.m. ET from Berkey Hall, an academic building on the northern end of campus. Officers responded to the building within minutes and found several shooting victims, including two who died, according to MSU Interim Deputy Police Chief Chris Rozman. Immediately after that, another shooting was reported at the nearby student union building, he said. That’s where the third slain victim was found. As news of the mass shooting spread, anxiety permeated the campus as the gunman remained at large. A shelter-in-place order went into effect, MSU’s interim president Teresa Woodruff said.
Harrowing scene: The deadly rampage forced students to jump out of windows and run for their lives. Graham Diedrich, a graduate student at Michigan State University, recalled being in the library and using furniture with other students to barricade themselves in a room during the rampage. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said her children, who are MSU students, are “shaken up” after the shooting.
The gunman: Authorities are still trying to figure out what prompted Anthony Dwayne McRae, 43, to conduct the shooting rampage. According to a source familiar with the investigation, McRae had a two-page note in his backpack that referenced other shootings. His father, Michael McRae told CNN his son became bitter, isolated and “evil angry” after his mother died from a stroke two years ago. The gunman’s sister told CNN her brother was socially isolated. McRae also has a criminal history with weapons, and police say he “had a history of mental health issues.”
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Parkland shooting survivor gives advice to Michigan State students on how to cope with latest tragedy
From CNN’s Sara Smart
Aalayah Eastmond, a survivor of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School
(CNN)
Aalayah Eastmond, a survivor of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, said she is feeling angry and frustrated at the news of another mass shooting, this time at Michigan State University on Monday.
The shooting in Parkland happened five years ago on Tuesday. Now Eastmond is trying to help students cope with the latest tragedy. She said she is confused about why America is “still dealing with this issue of gun violence.”
Her advice to those at Michigan State is to lean on a support system.
Eastmond is the co-founder of Brady Campaign’s Team ENOUGH Program and she is currently traveling with the Never Again Tour, which marks the anniversary of the Parkland shooting with other survivors and victims’ families.
“If anything students are even more at risk for the issue of gun violence,” Eastmond said, “We see legislators focus on things that are not as important when the leading cause of death in this country for young people is gun violence.”
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Shooting victim Alexandria Verner remembered for her kindness and positivity
From CNN’s David Williams
Alexandria Verner
(Clawson Public Schools)
Alexandria Verner, one of three students killed in Monday night’s shootings at Michigan State University, is being remembered for her kindness, positivity and for being “everything you’d want your daughter or friend to be.”
Clawson Public Schools Superintendent Billy Shellenbarger said “her kindness was on display every single second you were around her.” Shellenbarger is friends with the Verner family and has known Alexandria, or Alex, as he called her since she was in kindergarten.
He said he’s talked to her family Tuesday and “they’re being about as strong as a human being can be in the face of this tragedy.”
Shellenbarger was the principal at Clawson High School in Clawson, Michigan, while Verner was a student there. She graduated in 2020.
Shellenbarger said Verner was a fantastic three-sport athlete in volleyball, basketball and softball, was an excellent student and was active in many leadership groups at the school.
He sent a letter to families on Tuesday informing the community of her death and offering resources for students. Shellenbarger said Verner touched a lot of people in Clawson, Michigan, which he described as a small community.
“So to lose her on this planet, let alone our small community. It’s tough. And it’s going to take a while to recover, but to have known her for the duration of time that we all have, once again, is a gift to all of us, for sure,” he said.
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Biden announces $231 million in funding to curtail gun violence
From CNN's DJ Judd
President Joe Biden speaks in the Oval Office of the White House on February 2.
(Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
President Joe Biden on Tuesday marked five years since the deadly mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, by announcing $231 million in Justice Department funding to “reduce gun violence and save lives.”
The funds will “create and implement crisis intervention projects like ‘red flag’ programs, mental health and substance use treatment courts, and veterans’ treatment courts,” Biden noted in a statement.
Earlier Tuesday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden released a statement in support of the community and victims of the Michigan State mass shooting.
“Jill and I are praying for the three students killed and the five students fighting for their lives after last night’s shooting at Michigan State University. Our hearts are with these young victims and their families, the broader East Lansing and Lansing communities, and all Americans across the country grieving as the result of gun violence,” according to the statement.
CNN’s Nikki Carvajal contributed reporting to this post.
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Michigan State University shooter had 2-page note in backpack that referenced other shootings, source says
From CNN’s John Miller
Police tape surrounds the Michigan State University Union in East Lansing on Tuesday.
(Ryan Garza/Detroit Free Press/USA Today Network)
The Michigan State University shooter Anthony Dwayne McRae had a two-page note in his backpack referencing other shootings, according to a source familiar with the investigation.
In the note, McRae said he was going to “finish off Lansing,” the source said.
McRae also talked about schools in New Jersey, which is where he grew up, and claimed that there were “20 of him” who will carry these shootings out.
CNN reported earlier today that a police department in New Jersey said in a news release that the shooter possibly had plans to target two New Jersey Schools.
Biden says he is praying for MSU victims and calls on Congress to take action on gun violence
From CNN's Nikki Carvajal
President Joe Biden said in a statement Tuesday he and the first lady are praying for the victims of Monday night’s mass shooting at Michigan State University
Biden said he spoke with Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last night “and directed the deployment of all necessary federal law enforcement to support local and state response efforts.”
“I assured her that we would continue to provide the resources and support needed in the weeks ahead,” the statement said.
Later on Tuesday, Biden said, “our hearts are with the students and families of Michigan State University.”
It is a family’s worst nightmare that’s happening far too often in this country, far too often. While we gather more information, there is one thing we know to be true. We have to do something to stop gun violence from ripping apart our communities,” Biden said while speaking at the National Association of Counties conference in Washington, DC.
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Police identify 2 of the students killed in MSU mass shooting
From CNN's Michelle Watson
The Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety identified two of the students killed Monday night in a mass shooting as Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner.
Fraser was a sophomore and Verner was a junior.
Police are not releasing the name of the third slain student out of respect for the “family’s wishes,” according to a release from police.
Five students remain hospitalized in critical condition, according to the release.
“We want to ensure our community that our department as well as our law enforcement partners will conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation regarding this tragic incident,” it added.
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Michigan attorney general says her children are MSU students and "shaken" after the mass shooting
Nessel said officials “have a lot of unanswered questions” as the investigation into the shooting continues.
“This is an individual who just recently was off probation for a gun offense, and in the exact same area. We know that he had his probation extended a couple of times and not sure why, and I’d like to know that,” Nessel told CNN. “We know that the gun that he was carrying, he was obviously carrying illegally. He was a convicted felon.”
Nessel would not comment on the details of a note found on the shooter target two New Jersey schools, saying she “I can’t speak to that yet,” but that there’s other things she’s looking to find the answers to.
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Neighbor of Michigan gunman's father said he moved into dad's house a few years ago
From CNN's Bill Kirkos
Megan Bender
(CNN)
A neighbor of the Michigan State University gunman’s father said she thinks Anthony McRae moved into his father’s home a couple of years ago.
The neighbor, Megan Bender, said she believes the move happened after Anthony McRae’s mother died, which his father Michael McRae told CNN occurred two years ago.
She added that she “never had any interaction” with Anthony McRae.
Bender and her husband would see Michael McRae and his wife in church all the time, she told CNN in an interview Tuesday.
Bender said she feels bad about the Michigan State University shooting but, at the same time, she is grateful Anthony McRae didn’t decide to harm anyone in the neighborhood.
“I mean, I’m blessed and I’m grateful that he didn’t decide to do something around home,” Bender said. “It’s you know, super unfortunate what happened at MSU, like it breaks my heart. But I mean, I have three kids and so I’m grateful … we’re all safe.”
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Father of Michigan State gunman says son became "evil angry" following his mother's death 2 years ago
From CNN's Scott Bronstein
The Michigan State University gunman became bitter, isolated and “evil angry” after his mother died from a stroke two years ago, according to his father Michael McRae, who spoke to CNN by phone in an interview Tuesday morning.
Anthony DwayneMcRae, 43, lived with his father in a small house in Lansing, Michigan. His father said his son had trouble holding down a job and wasn’t employed, but had worked for about seven years previously at a warehouse loading refrigerators into trucks.
The exterior of the residence of Anthony McRae is seen in Lansing, Michigan on Tuesday.
(Carlos Osorio/AP)
Michael McRae said about 30 police officers came to his house and went through his son’s bedroom following the shooting on Monday night that left three dead and five others wounded.
Michael McRae said his son grew reclusive when his mother, Linda, died. After she passed away, he said his son “was lost, totally lost.”
“He didn’t care about anything no more. And he wouldn’t talk to me or anyone,” McRae said, adding that his son would stay in his bedroom for hours on end playing video games.
“He only came out to go to the kitchen or go to the bathroom, then he’d go right back in,” the senior McRae said.
Michael McRae said he had grown very concerned about his son, but when he suggested Anthony McRae go to see a doctor, his son refused.
McRae said his son had had a gun several years ago, but police had taken it away. Court documents show the younger McRae pleaded guilty to a firearms charge in 2019. The father said he believed his son had obtained another gun but kept it in his room and denied to his father that he had it.
McRae said his son’s moods would turn quickly, and he wouldn’t speak with his father when he got angry.
“I don’t know what happened to make him turn like this,” he said.
“He’d treat me like I was invisible. I’d ask, ‘why are you treating me this way? What did I do?’” he said.
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Michigan State gunman was socially isolated, sister says
From CNN's Curt Devine
The sister of the gunman in the Michigan State University shooting said she is “shocked” by the news and that she had “no idea” what motived her brother to carry out the shooting.
Melinda McRae describes growing up in a loving home with her brother Anthony Dwayne McRae. However, recently, he had been living isolated in a room in their father’s home, she told CNN.
The 43-year-old suspect clashed with his parents, often lashing out at their mother, and when she passed away in 2020, he expressed deep sorrow, Melinda said, adding that she last saw her brother at their mother’s funeral.
She said her brother was also prone to transience as he would sporadically leave town and struggle to hold down jobs. At times, he would go “to different cities and just lives in a shelter,” she said.
“I’m just so sorry about the innocent people that got killed,” she said.
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MSU gunman had a note in his pocket with threat to two New Jersey schools, officials say
From CNN's Michelle Watson
A police department in New Jersey said the Michigan State University (MSU) mass shooter Anthony Dwayne McRae, possibly had plans to target two New Jersey schools, the agency said in a news release Tuesday.
Around 6 a.m. ET Tuesday, state police told the Ewing Police Department, “about a mass shooting incident that occurred at Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan, which had a possible connection to Ewing, New Jersey,” the release said.
McRae had “local ties to Ewing Township,” police said. Police also said an “investigation revealed that McRae had a history of mental health issues,” though did not elaborate.
When McRae was found by police in Michigan, “he had a note in his pocket that indicated a threat to two Ewing Public Schools.”
Michigan State University police have since confirmed that McRae did have a note when he was found.
Police said all Ewing Public Schools were closed as a result of the possible threat, “out of an abundance of caution.”
“After further investigation, it has been determined that … there is no threat to Ewing Schools,” Ewing police said. “Information received during our investigation indicated that McRae has not resided in the Ewing area in several years.”
McRae, 43, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the mass shooting on MSU’s campus that left at least three dead and injured several others, CNN previously reported.
Ewing, New Jersey, is approximately 10 hours away from Michigan State University.
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Nearly all of the injured MSU students required surgery, doctor says
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
Dr. Denny Martin address the media in East Lansing, Michigan, on Tuesday.
(Carlos Osorio/AP)
Four of the five injured students from the Michigan State University shooting required surgery, according to Dr. Denny Martin, interim president and chief medical officer at Sparrow Hospital in Lansing.
The four students required “some immediate surgical intervention,” Martin told CNN’s Kate Bolduan.
The one student who did not need surgery was taken directly to the intensive care unit, he added.
Martin said it’s too early to give a long-term prognosis on their conditions.
“They’re all under the care of trauma and critical care teams here,” Martin said. “There’s varied conditions amongst the five of them. I will say some are more critical than others, but again, it’s quite early in their recovery from this event.”
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MSU student says he and others used library furniture to barricade themselves in a room during shooting
Graham Diedrich, a graduate student at Michigan State University, said he is still trying to process what happened after a gunman killed three students on campus Monday night.
He was in the school library working in the writing center at the time of the shooting.
He said they waited in the library for about five hours in total until the situation became safe.
Police say they still do not know the motive of the 43-year-old suspect, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“We don’t understand the motive, but we know the cause. There is unregulated gun market in the country, and we have the solutions to address the issue, and I hope that politicians will,” Diedeich said.
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Governor orders flags in Michigan to fly at half-staff
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has ordered that flags fly at half-staff in honor of the victims of the Michigan State University shooting.
In a statement from her office, Whitmer said that “the whole state of Michigan is wrapping its arms around the Spartan community today.”
The statement said Michigan residents, businesses, schools, local governments and other organizations are encouraged to fly their flags at half-staff to stand in solidarity with the MSU community.
Whitmer’s office said the flags should be lowered immediately and until further notice.
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FBI is asking for photos or video on MSU shooting
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
The FBI in Detroit is asking the public for any photos or video they may have surrounding the Michigan State University shooting on Monday night.
During a briefing Tuesday, FBI Special Agent in Charge Jim Tarasca said his heart goes out to all those impacted by the shooting. “This happens much too often,” he said.
The FBI has deployed agents and specialty teams to help with victims and the investigation, Tarasca said. “We will continue working in the future, hand in hand to mitigate these threats to try to make Michigan a safe a place as we can for families,” he added.
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There have been more mass shootings than days in this year so far
From CNN's Annette Choi and Curt Merrill
There have been more mass shootings than days so far this year and more mass shootings than at this point in any year since at least 2013.
The mass shooting at Michigan State University that killed three students and injured five others on Monday night is just the latest example.
Here’s a look at US mass shootings over the years:
More on the data: CNN is tracking mass shootings in the US using data from the Gun Violence Archive, a non-profit group formed in 2013 to track gun-related violence. Both CNN and GVA define a “mass shooting” as a shooting that injured or killed four or more people, not including the shooter.
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Michigan State student who witnessed shooting says whole ordeal is "surreal"
From CNN's Michelle Watson
Dominik Molotky talks about being in the Michigan State University classroom where the shooter appeared.
(WLS)
A Michigan State University student who was in one of the classrooms the shooter approached called the ordeal “surreal.”
Dominik Molotky said he was in a class about Cuban history when the shooting occurred.
“Right after that first gunshot about two seconds later, he came in our class and let off three to four more rounds, I was ducking and covering,” Molotky said. “When it went silent for about 30 seconds to a minute, two of my classmates started breaking open the window and that took about — that took about 30 seconds to happen. There was glass everywhere.”
“I’m not too sure, but I think one of the students in my class got hit with a shot,” Molotky said.
He also said he’s praying there’s no more dead.
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MSU students smashed a classroom window open and helped others climb out after shooting, witness says
From CNN’s Caroll Alvarado
Claire Papoulias recounts hearing gunshots while on campus at Michigan State University during NBC's "Today" show on Tuesday.
(NBC)
Michigan State University student Claire Papoulias told CNN she was inside the classroom that the suspect shot into Monday night, adding that a couple of students who were brave enough to smash open a window and assisted students to climb out, helped save lives.
Papoulias, 19, who is a sophomore studying psychology, was taking a history class on Cuba inside Berkey Hall when the shooter opened fire in her classroom, Papoulias said.
“The teacher was presenting a lesson and all of sudden I heard gunshots directly behind me. That’s when the shooter opened the back classroom door and started firing at my classmates in the back, wounding them. I smelled and saw the gunpowder,” Papoulias said.
“Everyone then dropped to the floor immediately and someone started yelling ‘Shooter, everybody get down!’” she told CNN.
Papoulias said she remembers thinking she was going to die but still tried her best to comfort her classmates.
According to Papoulias, the shooter shot three to four times in her classroom before exiting the room and leaving the door wide open.
“Someone got up and ran to the door to close it after he left. Then we started barricading ourselves in the classroom while other students tried to smash the window open so we could escape,” she said.
While some students tried to smash the window open, other students tried to aide to the wounded, Papoulias said.
“One student took his shirt off and tried to stop the bleeding. I heard another student yell, ‘Oh my God, my arm,’” she told CNN.
Once students were able to smash the window open, they began to jump out the first-floor classroom and run to safety, according to Papoulias.
“There was a boy on the other side of the window catching people who were jumping out the window. He stood there and risked his life to catch people,” Papoulias said.
Papoulias told CNN she ran straight to her dorm where she stood until she was told it was safe to come out.
“My feet hit the ground running. I forgot everything I owned because that didn’t matter. I was focused on making it out alive. I jumped out the window and I ran as fast as I could,” she said.
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Here's what we know and don't know so far about the deadly shooting at Michigan State University
From CNN staff
Police work the scene after midnight where a man suspected of a shooting on the Michigan State University campus died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
(Nick King/Lansing State Journal/USA Today Network)
A shooting at Michigan State University on Monday left at least three dead and five injured. After authorities shared updates on the incident this morning, here’s what we know:
The victims: All three people who died were students, according to police. The five injured are also students, police said. The chief medical officer of the hospital where they are being treated said the students had life-threatening injuries that vary in nature. Four of them required surgery, one did not. All of them remain in critical condition.
The suspect: Police identified the suspected gunman as 43-year-old Anthony Dwayne McRae following tips from the community. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. McRae is not known to be affiliated with the university in the capacity of a current or former student, faculty or staff.
The weapon: Authorities have recovered a weapon, but they have not determined if it was the one used in Monday’s shooting.
A search warrant: A search warrant was executed on a residence that was connected to the suspect, but authorities are not yet confirming if it was the shooter’s residence. They also declined to share any more information about the residence.
What we don’t know: Authorities declined to share the identities of the deceased and injured students. They are still investigating the motive. While a weapon was recovered, law enforcement officials did not share more information about it.
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Citizen recognized shooting suspect shortly after police released his photo, according to officials
From CNN's Michelle Watson
Chris Rozman, MSU Police and Public Safety interim deputy chief, joins law enforcement officials while addressing the media on Tuesday.
(Carlos Osorio/AP)
An alert citizen recognized the Michigan State University shooting suspect and helped police locate where he was shortly after police released his photo, officials said Tuesday in a news conference.
Chris Rozman, MSU Police and Public Safety interim deputy chief, said that police determined that they had a picture of the suspect from surveillance video and disseminated that quickly to the public.
“We commend the community and the citizen that called that in. And that was exactly what we were trying to achieve by releasing that picture, was to generate immediate tips for this person that was mobile that we had no idea where he was at that point,” Rozman said.
Police named 43-year-old Anthony McRae, who had no known affiliation to the university and was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound, as the suspect. There is no known motive at this time, police said.
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Classes at Michigan State University will be canceled until Monday, interim president says
Students gather on the campus of Michigan State University after a shelter in place order was lifted early Tuesday.
(Al Goldis/AP)
Michigan State University Interim President Teresa Woodruff said classes will be canceled until Monday morning.
The school will be in modified operations for the next two days, she said at a news conference, “then we’ll move into a period where classes will be canceled until Monday morning, but campus operations will resume.”
“We will provide the resources the students need for the time period they need,” she added, thanking the federal government for its support.
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Police still do not know the motive in Michigan State shooting
Chris Rozman addresses questions from the media on Tuesday.
(WXYZ)
There is still no known motive in the Michigan State University shooting, according to Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief at the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety.
“We have absolutely no idea what the motive was at this point,” Rozman said, reiterating that the suspect is a 43-year-old man with no affiliation to the school.
All 5 injured in MSU shooting remain in critical condition, doctor says
Denny Martin, chief medical officer at E.W. Sparrow Hospital in Lansing speaks on Tuesday.
(Carlos Osorio/AP)
Five injured individuals who were brought to the hospital after the deadly shooting at the Michigan State University remain in critical condition, according to Denny Martin, chief medical officer at E.W. Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan.
Four of those individuals did require surgical intervention to treat their injuries, Martin said at Tuesday’s news conference.
One individual did not, and was taken to the critical care unit.
“Initial reports last evening that the injuries were life-threatening were correct, but there wasn’t a consistent nature — there was a variety of injuries associated with the gunshots that came in,” he told reporters later.
Martin said he’s “proud of everyone” on his team for treating the victims, “amazingly well.”
CNN’s Michelle Watson contributed reporting to this post.
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Police identify suspected shooter and say a weapon has been recovered
Police identified the suspected gunman as 43-year-old Anthony Dwayne McRae following tips from the community.
(Michigan Dept. of Corrections)
The suspect in the Michigan State University shooting has been identified as 43-year-old Anthony Dwayne McRae, according to Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief at the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety.
“We would like to thank you or community for their help. Because of our quick release of the photograph from the campus security cameras and help from our community, it was a caller’s tip that led law enforcement to that suspect in the city of Lansing,” he added.
Rozman also told reporters that a weapon was recovered, and said that while he cannot confirm any location, law enforcement is aware that there was a search warrant executed on a residence that was connected to the suspect in this case.
This image from surveillance video provided by Michigan State University Police and Public Safety shows a suspect in connection with multiple shootings at the university Monday evening.
((Courtesy of MSU Police and Public Safety/AP)
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All 3 victims killed were MSU students, police say
Chris Rozman releases more information during a press conference on Tuesday.
(WXYZ)
All three of the deceased victims in the Michigan State University shooting were students, the school’s interim deputy chief Chris Rozman confirmed Tuesday.
All five injured are students as well, Rozman said.
Officials will release names later today, he added.
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Michigan lawmaker says she is "filled with rage" following another mass shooting
Rep. Elissa Slotkin makes remarks during a press conference on Tuesday.
The Michigan lawmaker went on to call out the lack of progress on gun violence.
“I would say that you either care about protecting kids or you don’t,” Slotkin said. “You either care about having an open honest conversation about what is going on in our society, or you don’t. But please don’t tell me you care about the safety of children if you are not willing to have a conversation about keeping them safe in a place that should be a sanctuary.”
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Michigan governor on US gun violence: "We cannot keep living like this"
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spoke about the cycle of American gun violence during a news briefing Tuesday morning, following a deadly shooting at Michigan State University last night.
“We know this is a uniquely American problem,” Whitmer said.
She acknowledged that today is the fifth anniversary of the Parkland shooting in Florida, where 17 students were killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Valentine’s Day.
“Our children are scared to go to school. People feel unsafe in their houses of worship or local stores. Too many of us scan rooms for for exits when we enter them, and many of us have gone through the grim exercise of figuring out who our last call would be to,” she said.
“Words are not good enough. We must act, and we will,” the governor added.
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"Our Spartan community is reeling today," Michigan governor says
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks during a press conference Tuesday morning.
(WXYZ)
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said the entire Spartan community at Michigan State University is “reeling” after a deadly shooting late Monday night.
“We mourn the loss of beautiful souls today, and pray for those who are continuing to fight for their lives,” she said at the news briefing.
“Every student and staff member should know that Michiganders and Americans are thinking of them today,” she added.
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NOW: Authorities share updates on the Michigan State University shooting in a news conference
Authorities are holding a news briefing about the shooting at Michigan State University where at least three people died and five were wounded.
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City of East Lansing offices closed to public following shooting
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
City offices in East Lansing are closed to the public on Tuesday following a mass shooting on the Michigan State University campus on Monday night.
In a tweet, the city said that “community members are advised that @CityofEL offices will be closed to the general public on Tuesday, Feb. 14. The #EastLansing Hannah Community Center will have a delayed opening @ 8 a.m. and drop-in counseling services will be available for the community beginning at 9 a.m.”
“We extend our gratitude to our brave first responders who quickly responded to MSU’s campus. Against every natural instinct they ran towards the sound of danger, seeking not their own wellbeing, but instead to protect and serve those in need,” Talifarro said.
The city stands “shoulder to shoulder” with everyone impacted by the shooting, Talifarro added. “Please know that you’re not alone in your grief. We stand with you and will be here as we seek to heal as a community.”
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“I will never forget the screams of my classmates,” MSU shooting survivor says
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
Claire Papoulias recounts hearing gunshots while on campus at Michigan State University during NBC's "Today" show on Tuesday.
She said she immediately dropped to the floor along with her classmates as someone yelled there was a shooter, she told NBC’s “Today” show on Tuesday.
For Claire’s mother, Natalie, getting that phone call was her “worst nightmare.” Hearing gunshots and screaming while on the phone with her daughter, she said she got into her car and started driving toward the campus.
Remember: The first report of shots fired came at 8:18 p.m. ET from Berkey Hall, an academic building on the northern end of campus. Officers responded to the building within minutes and found several shooting victims, including two who died, MSU police said Monday.
Papoulias said the shooter had come in through a back door of the classroom.
Some “brave classmates” were helping out the ones who were shot while other classmates got a window open, which is how she escaped and “just ran for my life,” she said.
“If it weren’t for my classmates helping everyone, I don’t think that we would have all made it,” the sophomore said.
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Gov. Whitmer says she is "devastated" after deadly shooting at Michigan State University
From CNN's Michelle Watson
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said she is “devastated” after a mass shooting at Michigan State University left three dead and five injured.
Calling MSU a “special place for so many,” she says the Spartan community and Michiganders across the state are also devastated by the news.
Whitmer called the mass shootings “a uniquely American problem,” and added, “we should not, we cannot, accept living like this.”
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Michigan State University officials to hold briefing at 8 a.m. ET
From CNN’s Amanda Watts
Officials at Michigan State University will hold a briefing at 8 a.m. ET Tuesday.
Three people died and several others were injured when a gunman opened fire on campus Monday night. The 43-year old suspect died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
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Biden spoke with Gov. Whitmer last night about the MSU shooting
From CNN's Phil Mattingly
President Joe Biden was briefed on the shooting at Michigan State University ahead of a call with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, according to a White House official.
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MSU student describes terrifying scene on campus
From CNN’s Paul P. Murphy
First responders arrive on the scene at Michigan State University in East Lansing on February 13.
(Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal/AP)
Michigan State University student Chris Trush told CNN he witnessed a number of people running out of the student union, a congregation spot for students on campus, shortly before an emergency alert went out informing them of a shooting on campus.
Michigan State University Police Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman confirmed in a press conference on Monday evening that the MSU Union was the second location where the shooting occurred.
Trush said he was watching television just after 8 p.m. ET in his apartment when he saw two police cars speeding down Grand River Avenue.
He said that he did not hear any police shots.
Shortly after, he said he saw a fire truck and a few ambulances also speed down the road. He later saw people running outside of the union building.
“That’s when I knew something’s really up,” he said.
He said it didn’t quite click what was happening at first. But when he saw dozens of police begin to swarm the area with long rifles, that’s when he realized what it was: a shooting.
Minutes later at 8:31 p.m. ET, he received a text from MSU Emergency Alerts warning him of the shooting. At 8:32 p.m. ET, he received an email alert from MSU saying the same thing.
He then locked his door and saw droves of police arriving near his window. There was a significant police presence outside his apartment — about 30 plus police cars, he said.
He added that it was a scary feeling knowing there was a potential killer on the loose.
The suspect: Michigan State University police said Monday evening that the suspect died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. The 43-year-old suspect is not affiliated with the university, officials said.
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Bodies of deceased victims found in 2 separate locations at Michigan State University, authorities say
From CNN's Tina Burnside
Police investigate the scene of a shooting at Berkey Hall on the campus of Michigan State University late Monday evening.
(Al Goldis/AP)
The bodies of the victims killed in Monday night’s shooting at Michigan State University were found in two separate locations, authorities said.
During an early morning press conference, Michigan State University Department of Public Safety Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman said two of the deceased victims were located at Berkey Hall and the third fatality was at the student union.
It is unclear where the five injured victims were shot, Rozman said.
Rozman was also unable to provide specific details on the exact number of students in those buildings at the time of the shooting.
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Suspect identified as 43-year-old male not affiliated with Michigan State University, police says
From CNN's Tina Burnside
The suspect in Monday night’s shooting on the campus of Michigan State University has no affiliation with the school, police said during an early morning press conference.
Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief with the Michigan State University Department of Public Safety, said the suspect is a 43-year-old male who has no ties to the school.
No other details were provided about the suspect.
Three people were killed and five others were injured during the shooting.
The five victims remain in critical condition at a nearby hospital, Rozman said.
Authorities have not identified a motive for the shooting.
“I know that is going to be a question that lingers on everybody’s mind. We will do our best to determine that, but at this time we have no idea,” Rozman said.
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Building where shootings occurred are accessible to the general public, police say
From CNN's Tina Burnside
The two buildings at the center of Monday evening’s shooting on the campus of Michigan State University are accessible to the general public during business hours, Michigan State University Department of Public Safety Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman said.
Berkey Hall, where the first shooting occurred, is an academic building where activities were occurring, Rozman said. The second building, which was the student union, is similarly open to the general public and doesn’t require any special access, Rozman said.
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All MSU campus activities are canceled for 48 hours, police say
All campus activities at Michigan State University are canceled for 48 hours, campus police tweeted Monday night.
Activities include athletics, classes and all campus-related activities, police tweeted.
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3 people killed in mass shooting on Michigan State University campus, police say
Michigan State Police said three people have died in Monday’s mass shooting on campus.
Five others are injured and are being treated at a local hospital.
Police initially got calls at 8:18 p.m. ET Monday of a shooting at Berkey Hall on campus, said MSU Police and Public Safety Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman. Numerous officers responded and located several victims.
Police then received reports of a shooting at a nearby building, the university union building, he said.
The police acted quickly and tended to the victims at both of the scenes, the deputy police chief said.
The suspect is a 43-year-old male and is not affiliated in any way with MSU, the university’s police said in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Rozman cautioned that there was a lot of misinformation – via social media and other means – about the incident and advised people to follow the police department’s official Twitter account for accurate information.
