A gunman killed three people and injured five others at Michigan State University’s campus in East Lansing on Monday night, police said, adding that the suspect was later found dead after apparently taking his own life.
(Bloomberg) — A gunman killed three people and injured five others at Michigan State University’s campus in East Lansing on Monday night, police said, adding that the suspect was later found dead after apparently taking his own life.
The suspect was a 43-year-old man who “is not affiliated in any way with MSU,” university police said on their Twitter feed. Authorities added they were searching for a motive for the incident that sparked a massive manhunt before the suspect was found dead a few hours after the shootings started.
The university’s police department responded to shots being fired near MSU’s Berkey Hall at 8:18 p.m. EST and told students and staff to secure-in-place. They were joined by State Police as well as federal and local law enforcement, who worked to secure multiple buildings on the sprawling college campus.
“The suspect has been located off campus. It appears he has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” MSU Police and Public Safety said on Twitter. It added there is no longer a threat to campus and the shelter-in-place was been lifted.
Police have not yet released the names of the suspect or the victims.
“There is a lot we don’t know at this point,” Chris Rozman, the university police department’s interim deputy police chief, said at a news conference.
All five victims were at an area hospital and in critical condition, he said.
The shootings took place in at least two locations and police were trying to piece together the events that led to the killings. The suspect had been described as a man in a mask who was carrying a rifle.
Police said it appeared there was only one suspect. After the initial report of the shooting, police speaking on radio said they were searching buildings and wooded areas on campus looking for the gunman.
“Tonight, Spartans will cry and hold each other a little closer. We will mourn the loss of beautiful souls and pray for those fighting for their lives in the hospital,” Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, said on Twitter, referring to the MSU community.
The incident in Michigan is the 67th mass shooting in the US so far this year, according to data from the Gun Violence Archive.
Whitmer added “This is a uniquely American problem,” and “we should not, we cannot, accept living like this.”
Multiple police departments dispatched hundreds of officers to search and patrolling Michigan State’s 5,200 acre (2,100 hectares) campus, Rozman said at an earlier news conference.
The university is canceling all activities for 48 hours, including athletics, the school’s police and public safety department said on Twitter.
–With assistance from Derek Wallbank, Janine Phakdeetham and Tim Smith.
(Updates with details on suspect.)
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