Michigan authorities have identified the state shooting suspect and also revealed the names of the three victims that died due to the horrific Monday incident.
An alert on Monday told students in the area to "run, hide, fight" after some people noted hearing gunshots at Berkey Hall and the MSU Union. In a statement, university Interim Deputy Police Chief Chris Rozman said that two people were killed at Berkey Hall.
Michigan State Shooting Suspect
Following the first incident, the gunman allegedly made his way to the MSU Union, where he killed another individual. Students were ordered to shelter in place and wait for authorities to finish searching for the attacker.
During a Tuesday news conference, Rozman identified the suspect as 43-year-old Anthony McRae. The gunman was supposedly found off campus early Tuesday but died before police officers could arrest him. The suspect is believed to have lost his life to what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, as per Freep.
The family of one of the victims identified her as 19-year-old Arielle Anderson from Harper Woods. She was the third person the gunman targeted and a sophomore at MSU. Anderson was considered a bright young woman who aimed to be a pediatric doctor, said her maternal grandmother, April Davis.
Davis said Harper and her grandmother had only talked to each other on FaceTime the day before the incident. The victim's aunt, Kimella Spivey, noted that Anderson dreamed of helping other people and joined various extracurricular programs, such as working with senior citizens.
Spivey said that the young woman's death was so "unbelievable" and asked when such tragedies would stop. This comes as police also identified two Michigan State students who lost their lives in the attack.
In a news release, law enforcement noted that Brian Fraser and Alexandria Verner were the other two victims of the gunman. The latter was a young woman whom Clawson Public Schools Superintendent Billy Shellenbarger remembered for her kindness, positivity, and being a good person in general, according to CNN.
Victims Identified
Now, investigators are still trying to piece together the case and determine the 43-year-old gunman's motive for the horrific incident. One source familiar with the matter noted that McRae had a two-page note inside his backpack that talked about other shootings.
The suspect's father, Michael McRae, noted that his son became bitter over time and became isolated and "evil angry" after his mother lost her life to a stroke two years before the incident. The attacker's sister also said that the shooter avoided social interactions. He was found to have a criminal history with weapons, and law enforcement said he also had mental health issues.
The Michigan Department of Corrections revealed that McRae was previously sentenced to 12 months probation over a weapons charge. In November 2019, based on arrest records, he was convicted and sentenced for possessing a loaded firearm inside a vehicle, which is illegal in the state unless an individual has a concealed carry license, said CBS News.
Related Article: MSU Shooting Update
