Michigan State University shooting leaves 3 dead, 5 injured [Video]

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• Three people were killed and five were critically injured in a shooting on Michigan State University’s campus.
• The 43-year-old gunman fled the shooting scenes and was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
• Police said the suspect was not affiliated with the university and the motive is not yet determined.

Michigan State University police said a shooting in two locations around the school’s East Lansing campus on Monday night has left at least three people dead and five others hospitalized in critical condition.

MSU Interim Deputy Police Chief Chris Rozman said at a news conference very early Tuesday that the suspect was not affiliated with the university. “We have no idea why he came to campus,” he said. The 43-year-old gunman later died off-campus of self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Rozman assured that there was no longer a threat to the campus as he confirmed the body of the only suspect in the case had been found.

Authorities said they were working to identify the victims and whether they were affiliated with MSU.

Police received reports of a shooting at 8:18 pm and officers responded within minutes, Rozman said. Hundreds of officers were involved in the search for the suspect, who was not immediately identified.

“This truly has been a nightmare that we are living tonight,” Rozman said. “But we have remained laser-focused on the safety of our students.”

Shootings were first reported at Berkey Hall and then nearby at the MSU Union.

MSU police tweeted soon after arriving on the scene that they were searching for a suspect who was “on foot” and urged people on campus to shelter in place. “We are still receiving multiple calls of an active shooter on campus,” they said.

Campus police tweeted a photo and description of the suspect moments after Rozman’s news conference. He later confirmed that the dead suspect was the same person who featured in the photo.

The FBI’s Detroit office said on Monday night that it was assisting in the law enforcement response.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Detroit tweeted moments earlier that it was “responding to an Active Shooter” on the campus.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement Monday night that she had been briefed on the shooting and that Michigan State Police along with MSU police, local law enforcement and first responders were on the ground.

“Let’s wrap our arms around the Spartan community tonight,” Whitmer added. “We will keep everyone updated as we learn more.”

Source: USA Today