MSU Shooting Victims Were University Students; Gunman Identified

EAST LANSING, MI — The three people killed and five others injured in a shooting at Michigan State University Monday night were all students, Chris Rozman, the university's deputy police chief, said at a news conference Tuesday morning.

All three students who were killed in the shooting grew up in metro Detroit. Brian Fraser was a Michigan State sophomore from Grosse Pointe and Alexandria Verner was a Michigan State junior from Clawson, police said.

The third victim was identified as Arielle Anderson, who graduated from Grosse Pointe North High School in 2021, school officials said.

The five students injured in the shooting were taken to Sparrow Hospital, where they were all listed in critical condition, police said. Officials did not identify those victims.

Police identified the shooter as 43-year-old Anthony McRae, who was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a Lansing residence a few miles from the university's campus.

Police did not reveal the exact location where McRae was found dead, but did say they recovered a weapon. Officials did not reveal specifics about the weapon.

Police said McRae was did not have any affiliations with the university as a student or employee. Police were still working to determine a motive for the shooting and what connections

Officials did not release any further details about McRae's background, other than he is from Lansing.

"That's what we're trying to understand ― is why this incident occurred," Rozman said.

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The shooting began not long after 8 p.m. Monday on the university's East Lansing campus, officials said.

Police said the first shots were fired at 8:18 p.m. inside Berkey Hall, where they found two of the students dead and numerous others wounded.

Police then confirmed there was a second shooting on the campus at IM East, which is about a mile away, roughly 50 minutes after the first shooting inside Berkey Hall.

Another student was found dead and others were found wounded inside the union on the campus' north side. Police did not go in to specific details surrounding the shooting at the union.

"This truly has been a nightmare that we are living tonight," said MSU Deputy Chief Chris Rozman.

McRae does have a criminal record in Lansing, where police said he had been living for the past two years.

McRae was charged with carrying a concealed pistol without a concealed carry permit in June 2019, according to state records. He eventually pleaded guilty to the possession of a loaded firearm charge and was sentenced to probation from October 2019 to May 2021.

Police said they did recover a weapon from McRae, but did not elaborate on what kind of weapon it was or if it was used in the shooting.

McRae also ties to Ewing, New Jersey, but hadn't lived in the area for several years, police said. Police were a note in his pocket indicating a threat to two public schools in Ewing, Mercer County.

The campus is operating on an essentials-only status on Tuesday and Wednesday and all classes will remain canceled until Monday, school officials said.

Free, confidential, 24-hour counseling will be available to Michigan State University students starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday morning, the school announced on Twitter.

The counselors are available at the Hannah Community Center and students can also call (517) 355-8270 and press 1 at the prompt. Community members can call (517) 346-8460.