Michigan State University Shooting Leaves 3 Dead, 5 Injured

National news reports that a gunman killed three students and wounded five before taking his own life on Monday night on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Mich. The shooting resulted in a full campus lockdown and a three-hour manhunt for the shooter, whom police confronted a few miles away from campus, according to AP News. The shooter has been identified as 43-year-old Anthony McRae, who police said is not a student or staff member of the university.

Local news station WWMT Grand Rapids/Lansing reports that the shooting took place in two locations. Two people were killed at Berkey Hall, an academic building, and one at the MSU Union. Five more victims were hospitalized, some with life-threatening injuries, said MSU Police and Public Safety interim deputy chief Chris Rozman. Rozman said that the first shots-fired call came in at 8:15 p.m. local time and that the Michigan State University Alert System distributed a text message at about 8:30 p.m.

“We have absolutely no idea what the motive was,” said Rozman. “This is still fluid. There are still crime scenes that are being processed, and we are still in the process of putting together the pieces to try to understand what happened.”

Police released a photo of the suspect captured by a security camera at about 11:30 p.m. Rozman said that an “alert citizen” recognized him in the Lansing area and called police. According to Rozman, police confronted the shooter in an industrial area about five miles away from campus, where he turned the gun on himself.

“Anything can happen in the blink of an eye, and I would have never thought that this is something that would happen to me,” said MSU freshman Georgia Gurzick via WWMT. “All of a sudden, it was at my university.”

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released a statement after police confirmed that the shooter was dead. “Spartans will cry and hold each other a little closer,” she said in part. “We will mourn the loss of beautiful souls and pray for those fighting for their lives in the hospital.”

All campus activities including classes, athletics, extracurriculars have been cancelled for 48 hours, according to Michigan State University Police.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning and Campus Security and Life Safety. He can be reached at [email protected]

Featured

  • How a Rural School District Enhanced Safety, Reduced Vaping, and Improved Efficiency by Modernizing Security

    As educational leaders, our primary mission is creating safe, productive learning environments where our students can thrive. Today, that unfortunately means addressing ever-evolving challenges that range from security threats to the growing epidemic of student vaping, all while managing tight budgets and (for many of us) geographically dispersed facilities. Read Now

  • Turning Surveillance Into Strategy: AI’s Role in Driving Proactive Security

    Video surveillance has long been part of the campus safety toolkit, indispensable for investigating security incidents after they occur and a valuable tool for proactive deterrent. Read Now

  • A.C. Camargo Cancer Center Enhances Security, Patient Care with Help from Advanced Video Surveillance

    A.C. Camargo Cancer Center, a leading oncology treatment center in São Paulo, Brazil recognized for its history of innovation, today announced that its partnership with Axis Communications has produced savings of more than $2 million over its first two years, all of which will be reinvested in patient care. A.C. Camargo has deployed more than 2,000 state-of-the-art video surveillance cameras throughout the Center’s corridors, complex care units, and parking lots, embracing a more holistic approach to security that emphasizes patient and employee safety along with improved quality of service. Read Now

  • 2025 Secure Campus Award Winners Announced

    Campus Security Today is pleased to announce the 2025 Secure Campus Award winners. Twenty companies are being recognized this year for products that help keep education and business campuses safe. Read Now