Michigan State Shooting Gunman Had 'Mental Issues,' Claims Uncle

According to his uncle, Michigan State University shooter Anthony McRae dealt with "paranoid schizophrenia."

Anthony McRae, a former warehouse worker who shot eight students at two MSU buildings on Monday, pleaded guilty to a lower misdemeanor gun crime that did not prohibit him from possessing firearms.

Michigan State Shooting Gunman

Michael McRae, his father, told reporters he was against weapons and didn't want them in his home, but his son "kept lying to me and said he got rid of them."

In a separate interview with News8, Timothy stated that Anthony, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound hours after the incident, heard "voices" and that his family struggled to provide him with enough assistance. It is unknown whether he has ever been diagnosed with mental health concerns.

After finishing his 18-month probation for the guns offense in May 2021, neighbors said he had been discharging his rifle in the family's backyard. Brian Fraser, Arielle Diamond Anderson, and Alexandria Verner have been identified as the three victims of Anthony's attack. The five others continue to be hospitalized in critical condition.

Timothy, who said he hadn't seen Anthony in years, made his remarks shortly after Michael claimed his kid became "evil" following his mother's death in 2020 and refused to leave his room or communicate with him.

Timothy stated that the family is "merely piecing together what transpired." Surviving student Claire Papoulias said that McRae was silent as he opened fire on groups of students, prompting Timothy to make his remarks. Per NY Post, she said that the victims were "screaming in anguish and for rescue."

In June 2019, McRae had a prior felony conviction for possessing a loaded firearm. In that arrest, he was discovered in Lansing near an abandoned structure.

He acknowledged possessing a firearm and stated that he lacked a conceal-and-carry permit. When questioned by police, he said he worried for his safety as he walked to the store to buy cigarettes; therefore, he carried a gun with him.

Anthony McRae ultimately pled guilty to the alleged possession of a loaded handgun and was sentenced to probation from October 2019 to May 2021. At 11:35 p.m. in the city of Lansing, McRae confronted police and turned the weapon on himself as the officer approached.

According to authorities in Ewing, New Jersey, McRae had a note with threats against local schools in his pocket. An abundance of caution prompted Tuesday's school closures.

Ewing police informed FOX 2 that they had a little run-in with police there. The motivation for the shooting is unclear and is unlikely to become apparent for some days. The inquiry into what led to the shooting, according to the police, would take several days.

MSU Shooting's Aftermath

On Wednesday, as the Michigan State University community dealt with the aftermath of a shooting that left three students dead and five others injured, police were still searching for a motive.

As of early Wednesday morning, it remained unknown why Anthony Dwayne McRae, 43, a man with no apparent connection to MSU, attacked the school's campus before committing suicide.

Monday's shooting at Michigan State University claimed a student's life, who was memorialized by a group of mourners holding candles and standing in silence. A throng gathered at a football field in Clawson, near Detroit, to observe 24 seconds of silence in honor of Alexandria Verner's basketball number, 24.

Verner graduated from Clawson High School in 2020. The 20-year-old was regarded as a great role model and a compassionate individual. She was one of three persons murdered and five others injured in the incident on Monday evening.

State Representative Emily Dievendorf demanded an end to gun violence on Tuesday as students and communities commemorated the deaths of three classmates. During a memorial service for the victims, Dievendorf, a Democrat, stated that policymakers and the general public must take a "holistic" approach to gun violence and mental health.

Per NBC News, a day after a shooter tormented the MSU campus, some students expressed doubt about returning to sites where students were killed. Allison Blackmore, a 21-year-old senior majoring in kinesiology, said she would never enter Berkey Hall or the MSU Union.

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