Photo: Al Goldis/AP/Shutterstock
The mass shooter whokilled three students and critically injured five otherson the Michigan State University campus Monday night was identified early Tuesday as a 43-year-old man who has no known ties to the school, authorities said.
Anthony Dwayne McRae was identified as the gunman after he was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Lansing around 11:35 p.m., about three hours after opening fire on students in multiple buildings on campus, Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman announced during a morning news conference.
A possible motive behind the mass shooting on the campus in East Lansing, about 90 miles northwest of Detroit, remains unknown. The deputy chief said McRae was not a student or former employee and had no known ties to the school.
After an hours-long manhunt following the shooting, a caller’s tip led authorities to McRae’s off-campus location in Lansing, where authorities said they also recovered a weapon. It was not immediately clear if that was the weapon used in the shooting, which occurred just before 8:30 p.m.
“We cannot thank the public, the community, and the person who called in that report enough for being observant, for following our messaging, and for being vigilant,” Deputy Chief Rozman said.
Anthony Dwayne McRae.Michigan Department of Corrections
“[The] investigation revealed that McRae had a history of mental health issues,” police said, adding how McRae has local ties, but had not lived in the Ewing area for “several years.” Out of an abundance of caution, police said Ewing public schools will be closed on Feb. 14.
Interim Chief Rozman said in a previous news briefing that officers first received 911 calls around 8:18 p.m. about a shooting in Berkey Hall, where they found several victims. Soon after, police were called to a second location, Union Hall.
“Police and emergency responders acted quickly,” he said. “We tended to the victims at both of those scenes.”
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The gunman was last seen leaving the MSU Union building on foot on the north side, Rozman said. At the time, he was described as “a Black male, shorter in stature, wearing red shoes, a jean jacket, and a ball cap.”
As MSU police urged the community to shelter in place, they tweeted aphoto of the suspectalong with his description.
With the assistance of hundreds of law enforcement officers and a witness tip, police said they confronted the gunman, McRae, a few miles off campus, where he fatally shot himself.
According toClickonDetroit, citing court records, McRae has a criminal history. He was sentenced one year of probation in 2019 after being found guilty of possessing a loaded firearm. He was released from supervision in 2021, per the outlet.
“This is a uniquely American problem,” she added. “Too many of us scan rooms for exits when we enter them. We plan who that last text or call would go to. We should not, we cannot, accept living like this.”
The tragedy also comes on the eve of the five-year anniversary of themass shooting at Marjory Stoneman DouglasHigh School in Parkland, Fla. Fourteen students and three staff members were killed in the Feb. 14, 2018 massacre that sparked the national March for Our Lives movement to curb gun violence.
The FBI and the Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety are requesting that anyone with photos or video related to the MSU shooting submit anonline tip here.
source: people.com
