Gunman kills three students, wounds 5 at Michigan State University before fatally shooting himself

The tragic news of a gunman opening fire at Michigan State University shocked the nation. The incident claimed the lives of three students and left five others in critical condition. The 43-year-old shooter, Anthony McRae, a Lansing resident, who had a previous gun violation, fatally shot himself after an hours-long manhunt that ended in a confrontation with the police miles from campus. The motive for the shooting is still unclear, and the community is left grappling with the loss of young lives and the questions that arise when a senseless act of violence rocks a university campus.

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The shooting occurred around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, 14th February 2023, when McRae opened fire inside an academic building and the student union. The students present at the two locations were caught off guard as they became victims of the mass shooting. Berkey Hall and the MSU Union, where the shootings took place, are popular places to eat and study. Both buildings are located on the northern edge of the Michigan State University campus.

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The shootings led to a harrowing campus lockdown as students hid wherever they could, and a search for the gunman began. The search lasted roughly three hours and involved hundreds of officers. During that time, the police released a photo of the suspect, and an “alert citizen” recognized him in the Lansing area. The police confronted McRae about five miles from campus in an industrial area, where he killed himself.

The situation was made worse by the fact that McRae had a previous gun violation. He was on probation for 18 months until May 2021 for possessing a loaded gun in a vehicle, according to the state Corrections Department. This raises the question of how someone with a previous gun violation was able to access a firearm and carry out a mass shooting. The easy access to guns in the United States has been an ongoing debate, and this incident further highlights the need for stricter gun laws.

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The dead and injured in the gunfire at Berkey Hall and the MSU Union were all Michigan State students. Five of the students remained in critical condition at Sparrow Hospital. The hospital’s spokesperson, Dr. Denny Martin, fought back tears during a news conference while discussing the students’ conditions. The students’ injuries ranged from gunshot wounds to severe trauma from trying to escape the shooting.

In the wake of the shooting, a school district in Ewing Township, New Jersey, closed for the day after being informed that McRae, who lived in the area years ago, had a note in his pocket indicating a threat to two schools there. It was determined that there was no threat to the schools, local police said later in a statement shared publicly by the superintendent.

The shootings took place in an area of older, stately buildings on the northern edge of the campus. The Michigan State University campus is one of the largest in the United States, spanning 5,200 acres, with over 50,000 students, including 19,000 who live on campus. The proximity of the campus to East Lansing’s downtown, with its restaurants, bars, and shops, makes the shootings more disturbing and tragic.

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The situation has left the Michigan State community reeling. In a morning briefing, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Michigan State graduate, said, “Our Spartan community is reeling today.” President Joe Biden pledged his support during a phone call, she said.

“We mourn the loss of beautiful souls and pray for those continuing to fight for their lives. … Another place that is supposed to be about community and togetherness shattered by bullets and bloodshed,” Whitmer said.

Michigan State Interim University President Teresa Woodruff stated that the university is devastated by the tragedy. She praised the efforts of the police in handling the situation, saying, “