Michigan State University mass shooting: What we know so far

'No idea what the motive was'

EAST LANSING, Mich. (CBS)-- Three students were killed and five students wounded in shooting at Michigan State University Monday night. Here's what we know so far. 

'We barricaded ourselves in'
  • Police said they received the first 911 calls reporting shots fired at Berkey Hall at about 8:18 p.m. Police arrived at the scene within minutes and located several victims. Police confirmed two of the deceased victims were located in Berkey Hall. 
  • Another shooting occurred almost immediately afterward at the nearby Union building. Police said another victim was found deceased in the Union. 
  • A Sparrow Hospital official said five victims remain in critical condition Tuesday morning and four of the victims had to undergo surgery. The fifth student who did not require surgery is alert and talking with hospital staff. 
  • All three of the victims who died are MSU students and all five of the victims in critical condition are MSU students. In a statement, university police identified the students who were slain as sophomore Brian Fraser of Grosse Pointe, junior Arielle Anderson of Grosse Pointe and junior Alexandria Verner of Clawson.

Brian Fraser was the president of the Phi Delta Theta Michigan State chapter. Alexandria Verner lived 80 miles away in the Detroit area. Arielle Anderson was also from suburban Detroit.

It was night of hiding and waiting and wondering for students on the campus of Michigan State University. A mass shooting that forced a campus into lockdown Monday night.

The next day, hazmat crews replace police officers and yellow tape instead of flashing red and blue lights.

A doctor struggles to explain the pain of treating the victims: three people dead, five more in critical condition; all students at Michigan State.

Police released a surveillance image that ultimately led police to suspect 43-year-old Anthony McRae. He shot and killed himself miles from campus as officers confronted him.

McRae lived in Lansing and had no known connection to MSU. He pled guilty for a 2019 gun violation and served probation.

"Our Spartan hearts are broken. We are grieving but as a community we are grieving together."

Michigan State University interim president tries to find words to make sense out of the senseless. The school remains shut down until Thursday. Classes set to resume on Monday.

More than 600 miles away in Ewing, New Jersey, the public schools there are closed because McRae had a note in his pocket when found by police, alluding to a threat against the schools there.

So far, no bona fide danger there has been found.

  • The suspected shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said. 
  • The Associated Press reports McRae was on probation for 18 months until May 2021 for possessing a loaded, concealed gun without a permit, according to the state Corrections Department.
  • He was found with note indicating threat to two New Jersey schools, the AP reported. 
This combination of images from surveillance video provided by Michigan State University Police shows a suspect authorities were seeking in connection with multiple shootings at the school late on Feb. 13, 2023, in East Lansing, Mich. Courtesy of MSU Police via AP
  • At least one weapon has been recovered by police. 
  • Police confirmed the photograph from campus security cameras prompted a caller's tip that led law enforcement to the suspect in Lansing. 
  • All campus activities will be canceled for two days. Resources will be available for the campus community. 

This is a developing story.

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