Michigan State University Reopens After Tragedy; Campus Community Begins Healing Process

Michigan State University school shooting MSU Michigan State University reopens

By E.Baloyo , Parent Herald Feb 20, 09:37 am

Photo: (Photo : Alex Wong / Getty Images)

Amid the gruesome school shooting at Michigan State University (MSU), the institution resumed classes slowly on Monday.

A shooting at the Michigan State University's campus resulted in the deaths of three students and injured five others, with some sustaining life-threatening injuries.

The suspect, Anthony Dwayne McRae, 43, had no known affiliation with MSU. Officials continue to investigate the school shooting as the motives behind it remain unknown.

Upon the police's immediate response to the scene, the suspect fled and later killed himself on the campus.

The three students who lost their lives were junior Alexandria Verner of Clawson, Michigan, sophomore Brian Fraser of Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and freshman Arielle Anderson, also of Grosse Pointe.

Meanwhile, the five students with critical injuries have not been identified yet.

Michigan State University reopens

According to ABC, the university plans to make academic adjustments and increase the police presence on campus.

The reopening is viewed as the beginning of the healing process for the campus community, and officials assured that support would continue to be available throughout the semester.

Despite the plan to reopen, some community members still struggle to come to terms with the events. The State News, the student newspaper's editorial board, announced that they would not attend classes immediately, stating that more time is needed to heal.

In addition, many parents arrived from different parts of the state to bring their children home after the shooting, at least for the rest of the previous week.

A petition was also launched, calling for hybrid or online options for students, which had garnered over 20,000 signatures by Saturday.

To address the aftermath of the shooting, no classes will be held this semester in either Berkey Hall, an academic building on the northern edge of the campus, or the MSU Union student center, where the shootings occurred.

To accommodate the change, the university has made alternative arrangements by moving 300 classes into other spaces across the campus, including empty classrooms and lunchrooms. This approach aims to ensure the safety and well-being of students, faculty members, and staff.

MSU is paying for the students' funerals, hospital bills, and counseling

As reported by NBC, MSU used the Spartan Strong Fund, which has raised more than $250,000 since the shooting, to pay for the victims' funerals and the hospital bills of the wounded students.

Interim President Teresa K. Woodruff stated that the university will continue to support the victims and that the fund will also be used to pay for counseling and campus safety improvements.

Funerals for two victims, Fraser and Verner, were held last Saturday, and Anderson's funeral is scheduled for this week.

As of Sunday, three of the injured students were still in critical condition, one was in serious condition, and another was in fair condition. However, the names of the wounded students have not been released to the public.

In the aftermath of the shooting at MSU, as per CNN, investigators discovered that the gunman, Anthony Dwayne McRae, was carrying two legally purchased but unregistered 9mm handguns, loaded magazines, and dozens of loose rounds of ammunition.

This has prompted discussions around gun control and access to firearms in the United States, with many individuals calling for stricter laws to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.

Several students, school administrators, parents, and politicians have been vocal in their calls to end gun violence and implement measures to ensure school safety.

As the community continues to heal and mourn the losses of the victims, there are hopes that meaningful change can be made to prevent such tragedies from occurring again in the future.