On Monday night (13), a shooter opened fire in two buildings on the campus of Michigan State University, killing three students and seriously injuring five others.
For hours, students, faculty, and staff sheltered in place, many in dormitories and other campus buildings, while hundreds of police searched for the shooter. Authorities found him dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, off campus.
You’ve heard this story before, unfortunately, many times.
What do we know so far about this latest episode of school shootings in the country?
What happened?
The shooter first opened fire at Berkey Hall, home to the College of Social Science, shortly before 8:30 PM, killing two people. He then moved to the student union building, a popular place where students eat and study, and killed a third person. The two buildings, separated by only a few minutes, were unlocked and open to the public.
What do we know about the victims?
All the victims, the three who were killed and the five injured, are students of the university.
What do we know about the shooter?
The shooter was identified as Anthony McRae, 43, and was not affiliated with the university.
The shooter’s father said in an interview that his son had become increasingly agitated since the death of his mother in September 2020 and rarely left his room. He also said that his son briefly lived in a homeless shelter in Cincinnati but had never been diagnosed with mental health issues and was not on medication.
What is still unknown?
As of Wednesday (15), the motive for the crime was still unclear. Authorities investigating the incident have not yet provided information about the searches conducted at the suspect’s home.
Mass shootings
On Monday, the Gun Violence Archive recorded 67 mass shootings in the United States this year. The archive, a nonprofit research organization, defines a mass shooting as one in which at least four people are killed or injured.