Gunman kills 3 at Michigan State University before killing himself

A gunman killed three students and wounded five others at Michigan State University late Monday, then fatally shot himself off the East Lansing campus, police said. 

The shooter opened fire at two locations on campus, an academic building and a student union area, according to authorities, prompting a hours-long manhunt as students sheltered in place.  

Police found the suspect, 43-year-old Anthony McRae, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Lansing, the school’s Police and Public Safety Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman told reporters early Tuesday morning. 

The suspect is “not affiliated in any way” with the university, and isn’t a current or previous student, faculty or staff member, Rozman noted. Authorities were led to McRae by a caller’s tip. A weapon was recovered.

“There is no threat to campus. We believe there to only be one shooter in this incident. And there is no longer a need to shelter in place on campus,” the deputy chief said. 

“We have absolutely no information right now on what the motive is, and I can’t even begin to imagine what that motive might be,” Rozman added.

All five injured victims are at a local hospital and remain in critical condition, according to Rozman.

Two of the deceased victims were identified Tuesday by police as sophomore MSU student Brian Fraser of Grosse Point and junior MSU student Alexandria Verner of Clawson. Authorities haven’t released the third victim’s name out of respect to the family’s wishes. 

“It’s hard to describe the agony we’re feeling in East Lansing tonight. Our hearts are breaking for the families of the students who were killed, for those who have been injured, and for the entire Spartan community,” Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) tweeted early Tuesday.

“The Spartan family is strong, and as devastating as tonight has been, I know that Michiganders and Americans of all stripes are wrapping their arms around East Lansing and our Spartans to mourn alongside us and to lift us up,” Slotkin, whose district includes East Lansing, said.

The incident at Michigan State University came one day before the five-year anniversary of the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., where a gunman killed 14 students and three staff members.

It also comes on the heels of several mass shootings this year alone, including an incident that left 11 people dead in Monterey Park, Calif., amid Lunar New Year celebrations.

“We cannot keep living like this. Our children are scared to go to school. People feel unsafe in their houses of worship or local stores,” Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) said at a press conference with police Tuesday.

“Too many of us scan rooms 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. Last night, a lot of kids on this campus made those calls.”

Updated at 1:08 p.m.