On the evening of Monday, February 13, 2023, a shooting took place at Michigan State University, leaving three dead and five injured. The suspect, a 43-year-old man, was found dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The man was not associated with the university, and police are currently unsure of his motive.
The shooting began at around 8:18 p.m. ET inside Berkey Hall, which is home to the College of Social Science, and resulted in two fatalities. Shortly after, another shooting was reported at the MSU student union, located next door, where one person died. Both Berkey Hall and the student union building are open to the public during business hours. Victims were transported to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, where they are listed in critical condition. No information about the victims is currently available.
Police responded to the scene, and hundreds of officers from different agencies were deployed. The buildings were secured by 10:15 p.m. ET, and the shelter-in-place warning was lifted early Tuesday morning. All campus activities, including in-person and virtual classes and sporting events, have been canceled for at least 48 hours, and the school is providing counseling resources for students and employees.
MSU Police Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman expressed relief that there is no longer an active threat on campus while acknowledging that much healing will need to take place. He also discouraged parents from coming to campus, citing the need to identify the shooter.
MSU Interim President Teresa Woodruff expressed her condolences and said that the university would provide support to students, faculty, and staff affected by the tragedy. Meanwhile, the Gun Violence Archive, an independent data collection organization, reported that the shooting is the latest mass shooting in the U.S., which has claimed dozens of lives so far in 2023. The group defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot or killed, excluding the shooter. There were nearly 650 mass shootings in the country in 2022, according to the group.
In summary, the shooting at Michigan State University has caused a tragic loss of life and injury to multiple individuals. The perpetrator’s motive remains unknown, and the campus community is grappling with the aftermath of the event. The university has canceled all activities and provided counseling resources for those affected. The shooting is the latest in a string of mass shootings in the U.S., underscoring the need for continued efforts to prevent such events from occurring.
