By Courtney Elisech
EAST LANSING – On Feb. 13, at 8:18 p.m. a call was made from Michigan State University campus to the authorities that there was an active shooter on campus. A shelter-in-place was immediately put into effect, meaning everyone had to take refuge inside a safe space until the authorities said it was all clear. Three fatalities were confirmed and five others were transported to the hospital for life-threatening injuries.
Alexandria Verner a junior from Clawson, sophomore Brian Fraser from Grosse Pointe, and junior Arielle Anderson from Grosse Pointe were identified as those who passed. All five victims who were transported to the hospital remain in critical condition.
From the first call that there was a shooter on campus until the gunman was found, students and citizens in the area called in tips and assisted law enforcement. Many shared photos and videos from the scene they could see, where flashing lights lit up the blocks from police and emergency vehicles and students ran across the lawn in fear. Many videos of what looked to be the shooter stalking around campus were posted online. For hours the shooting was the second trending topic on Twitter, before moving to the first.
The shootings were confirmed to have occurred in Berkey Hall resulting in two of the fatalities, and in the Union building where the third fatality happened.
The suspect was captured on the security cameras on campus at about 11:00 p.m. The photo of the suspect was released at 11:18 p.m. and by 11:35 p.m. officers located the suspect after someone called in a tip that they had seen the gunman. The gunman was found deceased from a self-inflicted wound at an off-campus location. He was identified as 43-year-old Dwayne McRae who had no apparent connections with MSU.
The community displayed a great example of working together to use “See Something, Say Something” to assist the police in finding the gunman.
In the event of an active shooter remember to run, hide, and fight. Click the link for an article by the Collegiate explaining what run, hide, fight means.
For Delta College’s emergency procedures are listed here
