Michigan State University firing: Police identify victims, say shooter was mentally ill. Here's all we know

The Michigan State University (MSU) police are still trying to understand what led to the Michigan State University firing Monday night. The shooter, who went on a rampage, killed three students and injured several others before turning the gun on himself. The suspect has been identified as 43-year-old Anthony Dwayne McRae who the police say has no known ties with the Michigan State University. The police say he had a history of mental illness. The "investigation revealed that McRae had a history of mental health issues," Ewing Township police said in a statement on Facebook. He also carried a note in his backpack at the time of the firing that talked of a threat to two New Jersey schools and referenced previous shootings in the US, including the King Soopers supermarket shooting in Colorado. Here is all you need to know about the Monday night shooting.

Who is the Michigan State University shooter?

Why did Anthony Dwayne McRae pick up a gun and go on a firing spree is not known yet. The MSU police said Tuesday that they are unable to understand why he came to the campus since he didn't have any links with the university, neither did he know any of the victims. "We have no idea why he came to campus to do this," Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of MSU police, told reporters early Tuesday.

According to his family, he wasn't a very social person and his mother's death two years back had turned him bitter. One of his neighbours told Reuters that the Michigan shooter was "a real hell-raiser" who often fired his gun at his home where he lived with his father. "We'd hear the gunfire all the time, and then it seemed the cops were always down there for something," the neighbour said.

The Michigan shooter was also carrying a two-page note in his backpack during the shooting. The note carried references to other shootings. The police said that the note in the gunman's pocket "indicated a threat" to two public schools in that Delaware River township.

The Michigan shooter's father, Michael McRae, told CNN that his mother had passed away from a stroke two years back, leading him to become bitter, isolated and "evil angry". The shooter's sister said that Anthony was socially isolated and did not like to talk to other people. The Michigan shooter even had a criminal history with weapons. His mental health was also bad and the police say he "had a history of mental health issues."'

The shooter's father told Washington Post that his son has once been arrested for carrying a loaded firearm without a concealed-weapons permit in 2019. When confronted once later, he lied about having a gun inside his home.

What happened in Michigan State University on Monday?

Police responded to a shooting at about 8:30 pm local time, following which the entire campus and surrounding neighborhoods were placed under a security lockdown and told the people to shelter in place. The police searched for the gunman, with the manhunt ending about three hours later in Lansing. Anthony McRae was found dead apparently of a self-inflicted wound, authorities said.

The MSU police had earlier released two still images of the Michigan shooter from a surveillance video. They received a tip from the public which they followed to reach the shooter. It is unclear whether the suspect was already dead when officers caught up to him.

The shooter could be seen mounting a flight of stairs wearing a jacket, a baseball cap and a black mask over his lower face. He appeared to be holding a pistol in one hand. However, the MSU police has declined to gove out any information about as to what kind of weapon was the shooter carrying.

Michigan State University victims

The MSU identified the victims as Brian Fraser, Arielle Anderson and Alexandria Verner. Brian and Arielle were from Grosse Pointe, Michigan, while Alexandria was from Clawson, Michigan and was being remembered for her kindness and positivity. Five students remain hospitalised in critical condition, a MSU police release said.

The MSU police did not release the name of the third victim, Arielle, initially, keeping with the wishes of the family. Meanwhile, a vigil was held for Brian Fraser in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. People gathered at the Lake Catholic Church to remember the Michigan firing victim, with the community packing the church.

President Joe Biden and the first lady said in a statement that they are praying for the victims of the shooting at Michigan State University.

"Jill and I are praying for the three students killed and the five students fighting for their lives after last night’s shooting at Michigan State University. Our hearts are with these young victims and their families, the broader East Lansing and Lansing communities, and all Americans across the country grieving as the result of gun violence," according to the statement.

(With inputs from agencies)

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