MSU Shooting Leaves Three Students Dead, Five Injured
On the evening of February 13, 2021, Michigan State University was rocked by a horrific shooting that left three students dead and five others critically wounded.[0] The shooter, 43-year-old Anthony McRae, was arrested in 2019 for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, a felony that could have carried a five year prison sentence.[1] He was later convicted of possession of a loaded firearm, a misdemeanor, and was sentenced to probation.[0] McRae was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound four hours after the shooting began.[2]
The victims are Brian Fraser, a sophomore at Michigan State originally from Grosse Pointe, Michigan; Alexandria Verner, a junior from Clawson; and Arielle Anderson, a junior also from Grosse Pointe, the MSU Department of Police and Public Safety announced in a statement on Tuesday.[3]
According to MSU police, Brian Fraser was a sophomore from Grosse Pointe and Alexandria Verner was a junior from Clawson, both attending MSU. Arielle Anderson's family has confirmed that she graduated from Grosse Pointe North High School.[3]
Clawson High School district announced in a statement that Verner, a junior, had graduated in 2020.[3] Police and Fraser's Facebook page report that he was a sophomore at MSU and graduated from Grosse Pointe South High.
Alexandria Verner was remembered as a “tremendous” student, athlete and leader, who “exemplified kindness every day of her life!”[4] The district leader stated that she attended Baker Preschool, followed by Schalm Elementary School, and concluded her education journey at Clawson Middle and High School.[4] Her parents, Ted and Nancy, and sister Charlotte and brother TJ are “equally grieving, but are certainly already feeling the uplifting support of this tremendous community,” he wrote.[5]
Arielle Anderson was a bright, inspiring, and a humble young lady, said April Davis, her maternal grandmother.[6] On Saturday night, Anderson stayed at her grandmother's house in Davis' home and had her own room.[6] Her aspiration was to become a pediatric doctor.[6] “We lost our precious daughter, granddaughter, sister, niece, cousin, and friend, Arielle Anderson.[7] She means the world to us.[7] As much as we loved her, she loved us and others even more.[7] She was passionate about helping her friends and family, assisting children and serving people.[7]
0. “Neighbors say MSU gunman shot into backyard to quiet dogs, communicated with father by notes” MLive.com, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/02/neighbors-say-msu-gunman-shot-into-backyard-to-quiet-dogs-communicated-with-father-by-notes.html
1. “Michigan State University attacker lied about gun in room, dad says” BBC, 15 Feb. 2023, https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-64644992
2. “Niece of ‘Flavor of Love' Star Deelishis Killed in MSU Mass Shooting” TMZ, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.tmz.com/2023/02/14/flavor-of-love-star-deelishis-niece-killed-msu-student-mass-shooting
3. “Michigan State shooting victims identified as Alexandria Verner, Brian Fraser, Arielle Anderson” CBS News, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/msu-shooting-victims-brian-fraser-alexandria-verner-arielle-anderson-michigan-state-university
4. “MSU shooting: Here are the 3 students killed at Michigan State University” WZZM13.com, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/crime/michigan-state-shooting-victims/69-3a25e5c7-89a4-4564-a739-ced6c67af75d
5. “Michigan State shooting victim Alexandria Verner defined ‘all that is great'” Lansing State Journal, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2023/02/14/michigan-state-mass-shooting-victim-alexandria-verner/69903963007/
6. “MSU shooting victims: Brian Fraser, Alexandria Verner, Arielle Anderson” Detroit Free Press, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/02/14/michigan-state-university-shooting-victims-brian-fraser-alexandria-verner/69903314007/
7. “Michigan State shooting victim Arielle Anderson wanted to become a doctor” Detroit Free Press, 15 Feb. 2023, https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/02/14/msu-shooting-victim-arielle-anderson-remembered/69904255007/