On February 13, 2023, a

mass shooting There is a lack of consensus on how to define a mass shooting. Most terms define a minimum of three or four victims of gun violence (not including the shooter or in an inner city) in a short period of time, although an Australian study from 20 ...

occurred in two buildings on the campus of Michigan State University (MSU) in

East Lansing East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...

. Three students were killed and five others injured. The gunman, 43-year-old Anthony Dwayne McRae, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound when he was confronted by police off campus. In the aftermath of the shooting, classes at MSU were cancelled for the remainder of the week, and they were relocated from the two buildings where the shootings took place for the remainder of the semester. Students and their supporters protested against gun violence at the Michigan State Capitol, and lawmakers promised gun control reforms.

Shootings

2023 Michigan State University shooting-7

At 8:18 p.m. EST on February 13, 2023, shots were fired in Berkey Hall on Michigan State University's campus. MSU officials sent an alert tweet and text. Students were directed to, "run, hide, fight." A

shelter-in-place Shelter-in-place (SIP; also known as a shelter-in-place warning, SAME code SPW) is the act of seeking safety within the building one already occupies, rather than evacuating the area or seeking a community emergency shelter. The American Red Cro ...

order was subsequently issued. The gunman, Anthony McRae, entered Room 114 in Berkey Hall where Marco Díaz-Muñoz was teaching. McRae fired repeatedly into the classroom, hitting seven students, including Arielle Anderson and Alexandria Verner, who were fatally wounded. Emergency service dispatch logs indicate that another student was shot in Room 135. Díaz-Muñoz tried to hold the door to the classroom shut while his students took shelter, and broke windows to evacuate. Some students escaped through broken windows while others stayed to help their injured classmates, putting pressure on wounds and fashioning a tourniquet from a belt. Díaz-Muñoz estimated that police arrived 10 to 15 minutes after the shooting. McRae left Berkey Hall and walked to the MSU Union building, where he killed Brian Fraser; five others were injured between the two locations. McRae then left the north side of the Union, near the campus border. East Lansing residents living near the campus were also asked to shelter in place. Police responded to the call within minutes of the shooting taking place. There was a coordinated effort of local, state, and federal law enforcement with hundreds of officers assisting, as well as other emergency services. Approximately 30

fire engine A fire engine (also known in some places as a fire truck or fire lorry) is a road vehicle (usually a truck) that functions as a firefighting apparatus. The primary purposes of a fire engine include transporting firefighters and water to an ...

ambulance An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to medi ...

s, and other emergency vehicles were present by the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum on Grand River Avenue in downtown East Lansing. McRae later died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at around 11:35 p.m., after he was confronted by police off campus, in

Lansing Lansing () is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is mostly in Ingham County, although portions of the city extend west into Eaton County and north into Clinton County. The 2020 census placed the city's population at 112,644, makin ...

Michigan State Police The Michigan State Police (MSP) is the state police agency for the U.S. state of Michigan. The MSP is a full-service law enforcement agency, with its sworn members having full police powers statewide. The department was founded in 1917 as a wart ...

reported that McRae had two 9 mm handguns, eight or nine loaded magazines, and 50 rounds of loose ammunition.

Victims

Eight people were shot, resulting in three dead and five injured. All of the victims of the shooting were Michigan State students. Three were killed: Arielle Diamond Anderson, a junior from Grosse Pointe, Michigan; Brian Fraser, a sophomore and Phi Delta Theta chapter president from Grosse Pointe; and Alexandria Verner, a junior from

Clawson, Michigan Clawson is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is part of the Detroit metropolitan area. At the 2010 census, its population was 11,825. History This area was occupied by the historic Potowatomi people, who were among the i ...

. Another five students were injured in the shooting. Four of the five injured victims required surgery, and one was taken directly to the ICU. All five were in critical condition. By February 21, one of the victims had been upgraded from critical to stable condition and two students had been upgraded to serious condition. One injured victim was Guadalupe Huapilla-Perez, a junior from

Immokalee, Florida (your home) , nickname = , settlement_type = Census-designated place , motto = , image_skyline = File:Immokalee-Zocalo Plaza 2018.jpg , imagesize = , image_caption ...

. Two others who were injured were Chinese

international student International students, or foreign students, are students who undertake all or part of their tertiary education in a country other than their own and move to that country for the purpose of studying. In 2019, there were over 6 million internati ...

s;Frank Witsil
2 of the 5 injured in Michigan State shooting are students from China, reports say
''Detroit Free Press'' (February 16, 2023). one of them, John Hao, was paralyzed from the chest down. Another injured student, junior Nate Statly, from Hartland, was identified by his family, who set up a

GoFundMe GoFundMe is an American for-profit crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for events ranging from life events such as celebrations and graduations to challenging circumstances like accidents and illnesses. From 2010 to the be ...

account; his brother characterized him as "fighting hard to survive". On February 23, another one of the victims, music student Troy Forbush, a graduate of Okemos High School, was released from the hospital. Of the four remaining students in the hospital, one remained in critical condition, two were in serious condition, and one was in stable condition. On March 3, two more of the injured students were released from the hospital, leaving one student still in critical condition and the other in fair condition.

Perpetrator

Anthony Dwayne McRae (June 10, 1979 – February 13, 2023), a 43-year-old Lansing resident, was the gunman.Casey Tolan, Curt Devine and Scott Bronstein
What we know about the Michigan State University gunman
, CNN (February 14, 2023). McRae had no known connection to the university. McRae was born in

Bear, Delaware Bear is a census-designated place (CDP) in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 19,371 at the 2010 census. Originally a small crossroads in a rural area, approximately south of Wilmington, the area supported small f ...

, raised in

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. It was the capital of the United States from November 1 to December 24, 1784. and moved to Michigan in 2003. McRae was arrested in June 2019 for carrying a weapon without a concealed pistol license. Initially charged with a

felony A felony is traditionally considered a crime of high seriousness, whereas a misdemeanor is regarded as less serious. The term "felony" originated from English common law (from the French medieval word "félonie") to describe an offense that resu ...

, he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor unlawful possession of a loaded firearm as part of a plea agreement in November 2019. He was originally sentenced to twelve months' probation, which was later extended to 18 months, and in May 2021, he was discharged from probation. Because McRae was not convicted of a felony, his ban on possessing weapons ended with the end of his probation. The decision to allow McRae to plead to a misdemeanor instead of a felony has proven controversial. Former

Ingham County Ingham County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 284,900. The county seat is Mason. Lansing, the state capital of Michigan, is largely located within the county. (Lansing is the only ...

prosecutor Carol Siemon was criticized for her decision to limit the use of felony charges for firearms possession. In response Siemon described the plea deal as standard practice, saying that "nationally, about 95 percent of all criminal charges are resolved by pleas". McRae's father said his son had anger issues, and, after the death of his mother in 2020, he became reclusive and socially isolated and "started to get evil and mean, and he didn't care about anything anymore." He described his son as "evil angry." According to the father, McRae had worked for about seven years at a warehouse loading trucks but quit his job shortly after his mother's death. McRae's sister, who had not seen McRae since her mother's funeral in 2020, described her brother as socially isolated and hostile, and often transient. At the time of the shooting, McRae lived in his father's home in Lansing, northwest of MSU's campus. A note found in McRae's possession included threats to MSU, other local businesses include the

Meijer Meijer Inc. (, ; stylized as meijer) is an American supercenter chain that primarily operates throughout the Midwest. Its corporate headquarters are in Walker, Michigan, which is a part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. Founded in 1934 ...

warehouse where he had previously been employed, and two New Jersey public schools. McRae also claimed to lead a group of 20 people who were involved in his attacks, a claim that was dismissed by a Michigan State Police spokesperson. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, an internet hoax that incorrectly identified the perpetrator spread on social media.

Aftermath

2023 Michigan State University shooting-5

The shelter-in-place order was rescinded following the gunman's death. All MSU activities were canceled for 48 hours, and classes were canceled until the following Monday. Classes in Berkey Hall and the Union were relocated for the remainder of the spring semester, and Berkey Hall was to remain closed for the remainder of the semester. Undergraduates were given the option to have grades reported as credit/no credit instead of the usual grade for spring semester classes. Counseling services were offered to members of the East Lansing and Michigan State communities at Hannah Community Center in East Lansing from February 14, with additional on-campus locations being added the following day. East Lansing closed all city offices and canceled a city council meeting on February 14, and continued to operate on a limited basis on February 15. Public schools in East Lansing and neighboring school districts canceled classes on the day after the shooting. Schools in

Ewing Township, New Jersey Ewing Township is a township in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The township falls within the New York metropolitan area as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. It borders the Philadelphia metropolitan area and is part of the F ...

were also closed after McRae was found carrying a note threatening two Ewing Public Schools.

Memorials and vigils

2023 Michigan State University shooting memorial 2

The Rock was painted to commemorate the victims with "How many more?" written in red paint and flowers were left at both it and the

Sparty Sparty is the mascot of Michigan State University. Sparty is usually depicted as a muscular male Spartan warrior/athlete dressed in stylized Greek costume. After changing the team name from "Aggies" to "Spartans" in 1925, various incarnations of ...

statue near the

football stadium Football stadium may refer to: * A stadium used in gridiron football, association football or Australian rules football * A soccer-specific stadium Soccer-specific stadium is a term used mainly in the United States and Canada to refer to a sp ...

. The following day this was repainted with a pro-gun message "Allow us to defend ourselves & carry on campus". In a break with tradition that the Rock should not be repainted on a single day, this message was painted over and replaced with "To those we lost. To those healing. Brian. Arielle. Alexandria." The Rock was painted a third time that day by Detroit-based artist Anthony Lee at the university's request. Lee's artwork included the Spartan logo and the message "Always a Spartan. Brian. Arielle. Alexandria." Staff from the MSU Herbarium collected and pressed three flowers from the memorial at the Rock as part of the herbarium's role to preserve plants of cultural and historical value. Memorials and vigils for the victims were planned for the victims across Michigan with some also offering the ability to write letters to MSU students or representatives, and interact with comfort dogs. A vigil at the Rock on the evening of February 15 drew thousands of students and community members. Speakers included Michigan Governor

Gretchen Whitmer Gretchen Esther Whitmer (born August 23, 1971) is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 ...

, interim MSU president

Teresa Woodruff Teresa K. Woodruff is an American medical researcher in human reproduction and oncology, with a focus on ovarian biology, endocrinology, and women's health. She joined Michigan State University as the Provost and Executive Vice President for Ac ...

, basketball coach

Tom Izzo Tom Izzo (, ); born January 30, 1955) is an American college basketball coach who has been the head coach at Michigan State University since 1995. On April 4, 2016, Izzo was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Izzo has led the Spart ...

, and representatives of the Board of Trustees, and student government. Vigils were also held at the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

, and in Grosse Pointe and Clawson, homes of the murdered students. Although the state

House of Representatives House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...

was not in session, members gathered to recognize the dead and injured, and to honor law enforcement, emergency responders and medical staff who responded to the shooting. University officials created the Spartan Strong Fund to pay medical bills for the survivors of the shooting, and announced that they would cover any shortfall. Many student-run organizations raised funds for this charity, including a charity livestream, bake sales, and other fundraising efforts. Shortly after the shooting,

launched a hub of verified fundraisers that would benefit those impacted by the shooting.

Gun violence protest

Michigan State students organized a sit-down protest at the State Capitol on February 15 pushing for legislation and commonsense gun laws. Speakers at the rally also included students from Oxford High School, the site of a school shooting in 2021. Maya Manuel, the organizer of the rally, wanted politicians to "understand what's life like in our shoes and to understand how we feel". Students sat cross-legged in front of the Capitol steps, assuming the position they have been trained to adopt in the active-shooter trainings that people of their generation have been trained in through their schooling. Manuel asked this of the legislators saying "before you act like you understand us, please take a moment to sit with us and to listen to us". Legislators present were asked to sit or stand in front of the students.

United States Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

Elissa Slotkin Elissa Blair Slotkin (born July 10, 1976) is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative from since 2023. She represented the from 2019 to 2023, before redistricting. A member of the Democratic Party, she previously served as a ...

, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel, state Senator Winnie Brinks, and state House Speaker Joe Tate were among those in attendance. Michigan State students and their supporters returned to the Capitol on February 17 for an "End Gun Violence" protest. Ellie Baden, one of the organizers, addressed the crowd and said "we need our elected officials to vow that this cannot and will not happen again". Legislators addressing the crowd included Sam Singh, the Democratic state senator representing East Lansing, and

Julie Brixie Julie Brixie is a Democratic member of the Michigan House of Representatives. Biography Julie Brixie was born in Chicago, IL to two teachers. She received a B.S. in Physical Geography from the University of Illinois. During college, she met her ...

, the Democratic state representative for Okemos.

Responses

Flag at half mast after 2023 Michigan State University shooting 3

On February 14, the day after the shooting, Whitmer ordered all flags in Michigan to be flown at half-staff in honor of the victims. United States President Joe Biden expressed condolences, and called for gun control. Biden noted that he was speaking on the fifth anniversary of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting. Whitmer and several Michigan members of Congress expressed condolences. Whitmer also expressed concern about gun violence, calling it a "uniquely American problem" and stated that living with such a potential threat was not sustainable.

Michigan Secretary of State The Michigan Department of State is administered by the Secretary of State, who is elected on a partisan ballot for a term of four years in gubernatorial elections. The Secretary of State is the third-highest official in the State of Michigan. A ...

Jocelyn Benson described the incident as "unfathomable" and proceeded to call for greater action targeting gun violence. Ingham County government issued a statement saying they were "deeply saddened" by the shooting and thanked emergency responders and healthcare workers. Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail comments on the fact that "gun violence...is complex and deeply rooted in our culture which is why we must take a public health approach". Dana Nessel wrote in a statement that "The events at Michigan State University are a tragedy for the entire state of Michigan. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, friends, and loved ones." She told

CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...

in an interview that she was "not sure why" McRae's probation had been extended multiple times. She noted that the shooting had left "a lot of unanswered questions. And we're going to be digging deep into this to find out."

(D-MI), expressed outrage at the lack of change since the 2021 Oxford High School shooting, saying, "As the representative of Oxford, Michigan, I cannot believe that I am here again doing this 15 months later...And I would say that you either care about protecting kids or you don't." Michigan House of Representatives member Ranjeev Puri released a statement which included the phrase "Fuck your

thoughts and prayers The phrase "thoughts and prayers" is often used by officials and celebrities in the United States as a condolence after a tragic event, such as a deadly natural disaster or mass shooting. The phrase has received criticism for its repeated usa ...

." Many students and parents expressed their fear and anxiety about the shooting and trying to find out friends and loved ones' statuses, stating that it felt surreal and unimaginable. Many students also documented their thoughts, experiences, and anger about the shooting through the website Spartan Stronger, which was created by a student to allow students and staff to share their stories. Students of

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and rail magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided the school its initial $1-million ...

criticized the university for sending them an email written with the assistance of

ChatGPT ChatGPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a chatbot launched by OpenAI in November 2022. It is built on top of OpenAI's GPT-3 family of large language models, and is fine-tuned (an approach to transfer learning) with both supervised and ...

, which was prepared in response to the mass shooting incident at Michigan State University; the Vanderbilt students felt that such sensitive statements should be written by humans themselves, not through

artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is intelligence—perceiving, synthesizing, and inferring information—demonstrated by machines, as opposed to intelligence displayed by animals and humans. Example tasks in which this is done include speech r ...

Gun control debate

Democrats in the

Michigan State Senate The Michigan Senate is the upper house of the Michigan Legislature. Along with the Michigan House of Representatives, it composes the state legislature, which has powers, roles and duties defined by Article IV of the Michigan Constitution, adopt ...

introduced "nearly dozen" bills focused on gun control and gun safety on February 16. Many of the bills were reportedly drafted in response to the Oxford High School shooting. Prior attempts at gun law reform was blocked by Republicans in 2022 in the aftermath of the

Uvalde school shooting The Uvalde school shooting was a mass shooting that occurred on May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, United States, when 18-year-old Salvador Ramos, a former student at the school, fatally shot 19 students and two teache ...

, and before that, when gun reform was attempted in the aftermath of the Oxford shooting, but Democrats gained control of both houses of state government in the 2022 elections. Nineteen days before the MSU shooting, Whitmer had criticized the state legislature for failing to pass gun laws after the Oxford High School shooting and called for the passage of

universal background check Proposals for universal background checks would require almost all firearms transactions in the United States to be recorded and go through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), closing what is sometimes called the priva ...

s, safe storage laws, and extreme-risk protection orders.

Connections to other shootings

Some students who were on campus at the time of the shooting were impacted by other mass shootings; one had been at Oxford High School during the 2021 shooting, while another had FaceTimed with friends in Oxford High School while at another school, and another student had been put on lockdown at a different school in Newtown, Connecticut, during the 2012

Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting The Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred on December 14, 2012, in Newtown, Connecticut, United States, when 20-year-old Adam Lanza shot and killed 26 people. Twenty of the victims were children between six and seven years old, and t ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Michigan State University shooting, 2023 2023 in Michigan 2023 active shooter incidents in the United States 2023 mass shootings in the United States February 2023 crimes in the United States Deaths by firearm in Michigan Mass shootings in Michigan Murder–suicides in Michigan Spree shootings in the United States University and college shootings in the United States 2023 shooting