The three people killed in the Michigan State University shooting have been identified as Arielle Diamond Anderson, 19, an aspiring paediatric surgeon; Alex Verner, a biology student and athlete; and Brian Fraser, a business student and fraternity president. Police said all of the victims were students at the university. Five other people injured in Monday night's attack remain in a critical condition.
Anderson's family said she was "sweet and loving with an infectious smile" and had been working diligently to graduate early to achieve her dream of becoming a paediatric surgeon. Verner's former school superintendent described her as "a tremendous student, athlete, leader" who "exemplified kindness every day of her life". Fraser's fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, said he was their leader and "cared deeply about his Phi Delt brothers, his family, Michigan State University and Phi Delta Theta".
The attack has left some students reliving previous experiences of gun violence. Jennifer Mancini's daughter, who survived the Oxford High School shooting in 2021, heard gunshots from across the street and was told to turn off the lights, lock the door and stay silent. Another student, Jackie Matthews, said she had witnessed the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting ten years ago and called for legislation, saying "we can no longer just provide love and prayers".
Nursing student Jane Nodland said she thought she was going to die, describing the sound as like a stampede. Andrea Ferguson, whose daughter was also in Oxford during the 2021 shooting, said "it was like reliving Oxford all over again". Several students on the East Lansing campus were witnessing the second school shooting of their lifetime.
The suspect, 43-year-old Anthony McRae, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound and had no ties to the university. Police have not yet identified a motive.
