Michigan State University Tragedy: Three Students Killed, Five Injured
On Monday night, Michigan State University saw a devastating tragedy when 43-year-old Anthony McRae of Lansing opened fire on the campus, killing three students and injuring five others.[0] The Department of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms has confirmed that McRae legally purchased two guns that were found on his person after making contact with police.
McRae had two legally bought 9mm handguns and eight loaded magazines, as well as two empty magazines, and a pouch with 50 rounds of loose ammunition. A handwritten note was also found in his possession, which leads police to believe that he felt “slighted” by people and businesses.
The three students who were killed in the shooting have since been identified as Brian Fraser, a sophomore from Grosse Pointe, Alexandria Verner, a junior from Clawson, and Arielle Anderson, a junior from Harper Woods.[1] Four of the five students who were wounded remain in critical condition, however, one was recently upgraded to being stable.[2]
In the wake of this tragedy, Democrats in Michigan have vowed to take action on gun control measures that have long stalled in the state, such as safe storage and so-called “red flag” laws.[3] As of now, classes are canceled through Sunday, while Berkey Hall and the MSU Union remain closed for the rest of the semester.[4]
The victims of this horrible event will be honored at a funeral mass on Saturday, Feb. 18 at Guardian Angels Catholic Church. Despite their pain and the difficult days to come, Díaz-Muñoz and the other students in the room that night will never forget the heroic actions of those who stayed behind to help their classmates.
0. “Michigan Senate leader: Lawmakers must ‘meet this moment with action'” Detroit News, 16 Feb. 2023, https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/michigan/2023/02/16/michigan-senate-lawmakers-gun-control-policies-introduce-safe-storage-democrats/69910833007/
1. “MSU shooter used 2 handguns purchased legally, armed with 8 loaded magazines, other ammo” WWMT-TV, 17 Feb. 2023, https://wwmt.com/news/local/michigan-state-university-shooting-msu-students-victims-murder-mass-anthony-mcrae-campus-brian-fraser-alexandria-verner-arielle-anderson
2. “Michigan State professor recalls horror of 7 students shot in his classroom” MLive.com, 16 Feb. 2023, https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/02/michigan-state-professor-recalls-horror-of-7-students-shot-in-his-classroom.html
3. “‘F—k Your Thoughts and Prayers’: Lawmakers Vow Action After 3 Killed in Mass Shooting at MSU” Yahoo! Voices, 16 Feb. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/now/f-k-thoughts-prayers-lawmakers-163000066.html
4. “MSU holds update on latest developments in mass shooting” Detroit News, 17 Feb. 2023, https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/02/16/msu-shooting-update-police-condition-wounded-anthony-macrae/69907629007/
