MSU Police release more details on deadly campus shooting
EAST LANSING, Mich. (WNEM) - The Michigan State University Department of Police and Public Safety released more details on Thursday regarding the deadly campus shooting on Feb. 13.
The shooting killed three MSU students - Brian Fraser, a sophomore from Grosse Pointe, Arielle Anderson, a junior from Grosse Pointe, and Alexandria Verner, a junior from Clawson – and injured five others.
The shooter, 43-year-old Anthony McRae, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound the night of the shooting.
“Our detectives have been working tirelessly on this investigation and I am proud of the work they have and continue to put forward,” Chief of Police Chris Rozman said.
Timeline of events:
On Thursday, April 27, MSU Police issued the following timeline of events from the night of the shooting (the times labeled with an asterisk were learned throughout the investigation and were not known by law enforcement on the night of the shooting):
- *7:19 p.m. – McRae exits bus at Grand River/Berkey Hall bus stop
- *7:24 p.m. – McRae walks eastbound on Grand River Ave in front of Broad Art Museum
- *7:26 p.m. – McRae walks northeast across Grand River Ave
- *8:12 p.m. – McRae walks westbound in front of Broad Art Museum
- 8:18 p.m. – First shots fired call at Berkey Hall received by Ingham County 911
- 8:19 p.m. – Officers dispatched to Berkey Hall by Ingham County 911
- *8:19 p.m. – McRae is seen walking westbound along Grand River Ave in front of Ramp 6
- 8:20 p.m. – First officers arrive at Berkey Hall
- *8:23 p.m. – McRae fires one shot while walking from Berkey to the Union
- *8:24 p.m. – McRae enters the Union
- 8:26 p.m. – First report of shooting at the Union
- *8:26 p.m. – McRae exits the Union and leaves campus
- 8:27 p.m. – Officers dispatched to the Union by Ingham County 911
- 8:27 p.m. – Officers arrive at the Union
- 8:30 p.m. – First MSU Alert sent, instructions given to shelter-in-place
- 8:31 p.m. – Second MSU Alert sent, instructions given to shelter-in-place
- *9:14 p.m. – Person matching description is seen walking northbound on Harrison near Grand River Ave
- 10:04 p.m. – MSU Alert sent, suspect description given
- 10:54 p.m. – MSU Alert sent, instructions to monitor alert.msu.edu for more information
- 11:02 p.m. – First news conference takes place
- 11:18 p.m. – Photo of McRae shared on MSU DPPS social media
- 11:33 p.m. – MSU Alert sent, more descriptive suspect description given
- 11:35 p.m. – Ingham County 911 receives call of person matching the description walking on Lake Lansing Rd near High St in the City of Lansing
- 11:49 p.m. – Officers approach person matching description and he completes suicide with a gun
- 12:20 a.m. – MSU DPPS confirms the deceased person matching description as McRae with the public
- 12:25 a.m. – Second news conference takes place
- 12:27 a.m. —MSU Alert sent, shelter-in-place lifted
- 12:28 a.m. — MSU DPPS posts to social media that shelter-in-place is lifted
- 1:07 a.m. – MSU Alert sent, bus service information for reunification center
- 1:35 a.m. – Third news conference takes place
- 8:02 a.m. – Fourth news conference takes place
- 12:12 p.m. – News release disseminated
McRae’s route after the shooting
Police also issued McRae’s route after the shooting in the map below.
“Please note that this map is our best attempt at determining the route based on various sources. It does not depict any slight deviations that account for McRae evading law enforcement and first responders,” MSU Police said.
Information on the weapons
Police found two weapons on McRae, a Hi-Point C-9 9mm handgun, and a Taurus G3 9mm handgun. The first handgun was purchased on Sept. 7, 2021, and the second one was purchased on Oct. 5, 2021, MSU Police said, adding McRae used a state ID card and a Social Security card to legally purchase the weapons.
However, the handguns were not registered.
Evidence shows the shooter only used the Taurus handgun on the night of the shooting, MSU Police said. The gun was loaded with 13 rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber at the time investigators recovered it after McRae’s death.
The Hi-Point was loaded with nine rounds in the magazine and one in the chamber at the time it was recovered, police said.
Police also recovered one extra loaded magazine for the Taurus in the chest pocket of McRae’s coat, and 10 extra magazines for the Hi-Point in his backpack. There were also 136 rounds of loose ammunition in the backpack, police said.
The ammunition was consistent with 9mm ammunition purchased by McRae on Feb. 13, 2023, police said.
Police found 14 bullet casings in Berkey Hall and three bullet casings in the Union. One bullet casing was also found outside of the Human Ecology Building. Police believe McRae fired that show while walking from Berkey Hall to the Union.
“Based on investigation findings, it has been preliminarily determined that there is no conclusive motive as to why McRae targeted Michigan State University. McRae did not have any personal or professional connection to the University and did not apply to the University for employment in recent history,” MSU Police said.
Investigators believe the note found on McRae at the time of his death provides the most information about his state of mind at the time of the shooting.
McRae’s blood alcohol level was .04 percent at the time of his death, MSU Police said, adding he also had THC in his system.
Police believe McRae acted alone in the shooting, which remains under investigation.
Resources available
MSU is providing the following on-campus resources for anyone seeking support:
- MSU Student Health Services - general info: 517-884-6526; nurse on-call: 517-353-9165
- MSU Employee Assistance Program - EAP is a confidential, free counseling service for employees: 517-355-4506, eap@msu.edu.
- Counseling and Psychiatry Services - CAPS is the place for students seeking help for a wide range of health concerns.
- MSU Department of Psychiatry - Psychiatry Clinic: 517-353-3070
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