A rampage shooter shot three people and wounded five others on the Michigan State College campus Monday night before fatally shooting himself, police said.
The suspect, a 43-year-old man, was found dead off campus in East Lansing, Michigan, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police said early Tuesday morning that the man was not affiliated with the college, and a motive has not yet been determined. Police said they believe there is only one suspect.
"We are relieved that there is no longer an active threat on campus, although we realize that so much healing needs to take place after this incident," said MSU Police Deputy Interim Chief Chris Rozman.
The first shots were fired at 8:18 p.m. ET in Berkey Hall, which houses the College of Social Science, killing two people. Another shooting was reported shortly after at the MSU Student Union, which is next door and a gathering place for students. One person died there, Rozman said. Both Berkey Hall and the student union are open to the public during business hours, police said.
Hundreds of officers from various agencies responded to the incident, Rozman said. The victims were taken to Sparrow Hospital in Lansing. Their condition was critical, but further information about the victims was not available, Rozman said.
By 10:15 p.m. ET, police said, Berkey and other buildings were secure, and the shelter-in-place warning was lifted early Tuesday morning. Earlier in the evening, police advised parents not to come to campus.
"For the parents, we sympathize," Rozman said. "I can only imagine the emotions that are in play right now. It's going to help us, and it's going to help us respond, and it's going to help us identify the shooter, the fewer people on campus at this point."
All campus activities, including in-person and virtual classes and athletic events, have been canceled for at least 48 hours. The school is offering counseling opportunities for students and staff.
Monday's shooting is the latest mass shooting in the U.S. to claim dozens of lives so far in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive, an independent organization that collects data. The group defines a mass shooting as an incident in which four or more people are shot or killed, not including the shooter. According to the group, nearly 650 mass shootings occurred in the country in 2022.
Teresa Woodruff, MSU's interim president, said Tuesday that students, faculty and staff at the college will receive support. "We are devastated by the loss of life and want to embrace every family affected by this tragedy," she said.
