Michigan State University shooting – live: Three dead and five wounded in attack on campus

A man has shot dead at least three people and wounded another five at Michigan State University, police said.

There appeared to be one suspect responsible for the shooting who has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Images of the suspect released earlier were accompanied by a description of a short Black male wearing a jean jacket, baseball cap and red shoes.

Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department, said hundreds of officers were on the East Lansing campus to respond to the attack.

Students were ordered to continue sheltering in place, as he informed the community that campus activities would remain suspended for the next 48 hours.

Victims were transported to Sparrow Hospital, said MSU Police and Public Safety on Twitter.

Authorities ordered students and staff to shelter in place after a report of shots fired shortly after 8.30pm around Berkey Hall, an academic building, at the East Lansing campus.

Separately, police on Twitter reported a shooting at IM East, a recreational center for students. But Mr Rozman did not mention it during the news briefing, later identifying the second location as the Michigan State University Union building.

Key points

• Three people dead in MSU shooting

• Five injured, some with life-threatening injuries

• Suspected shooter dead from self-inflicted wound

• What we know about the shooter

Breaking: Three people dead in MSU shooting

04:50 , Namita Singh

“There are three confirmed fatalities,” in the shooting at Michigan State University said police. “This is in addition to the five victims who have been transported to the hospital.”

Mass shooting: ‘A uniquely American problem’

07:45 , Namita Singh

The shooting at Michigan State is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the US.

Dozens of people have died in mass shootings so far in 2023, most notably in California where 11 people were killed as they welcomed the Lunar New Year at a dance hall popular with older Asian Americans.

In 2022, there were more than 600 mass shootings in the US in which at least four people were killed or injured, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

“This is a uniquely American problem,” Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer lamented.

In video: Suspect confirmed dead after three killed in Michigan State University shooting, police say

07:30 , Namita Singh

All five gunshot victims critical

07:01 , Namita Singh

All five victims at Sparrow Hospital are in critical condition, said the MSU police in an update on Twitter. “The suspect is a 43-year-old male and is not affiliated in any way with MSU.”

Suspect identified as 43-year-old male

06:56 , Namita Singh

The suspected gunman behind Monday night’s mass shooting at Michigan State University has been described by police as a 43-year-old man with no known affiliation to the school.

Police announced that the suspect had died of a self-inflicted gunshot some four hours after the attack began, lifting a campus-wide lockdown.

What we know about the shooter

06:43 , Namita Singh

The suspect believed to have shot eight people at Michigan State University has been found dead, police said in a midnight briefing.He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after “contact” with police off campus, said the authorities.

“The suspect in the incident was located outside the MSU campus,” said Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department. “And that suspect has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

The authorities did not disclose the name of the suspect, and said that it is too early to know the motive of the shooter.

While the shooting incident was still active police released images of the suspect and described him as a “Black male, shorter in stature” wearing red shoes, a jeans jacket and a baseball cap.

Campus police said they were investigating if he had some type of affiliation with the university.

“There’s a lot that we don’t know at this point,” Mr Rozman said. The suspect “was contacted by law enforcement off campus” at some point, he said, adding, “that scene is being investigated as a crime scene.”

Suspect 'contacted by law enforcement’

06:21 , Namita Singh

The suspect “was contacted by law enforcement off campus” at some point, said the campus police, adding, “that scene is being investigated as a crime scene.”

The gunman was confirmed dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound roughly four hours after the violence began, said Chris Rozman, deputy chief of the campus police department.

“There is no longer a threat to campus. We believe there to be only one suspect in this incident,” he said.

Police confirm number of victims but won't yet share personal details

06:19 , Namita Singh

Police confirmed three fatalities in the shooting at the Michigan State University campus, adding that this is in addition to the five victims who were injured and transported to the hospital.

“Out of respect to the families, we continue with our active investigation, we cannot confirm personal information of any of the victims at this time.”

‘Too early to know motive’ of the shooter

06:18 , Namita Singh

Campus police said it was too early to know motive of the shooter in the Michigan State University shooting, adding that they are investigating if the man had some type of affiliation with the university. His name was not immediately released.

“There’s a lot that we don’t know at this point,” Chris Rozman said.

Two people were killed at Berkey and another was killed at the MSU Union, he said.

Michigan State University shooting update: ‘Suspect is deceased'

06:03 , Namita Singh

“The suspect in the incident was located outside the MSU campus,” said Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department, while holding a joint press conference.

“And that suspect has died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“He is deceased”.

“This truly has been a nightmare we’re living tonight.”

Police seek support of students for investigation

06:02 , Namita Singh

The MSU police have appealed to students to come forward and help investigators with their eyewitness accounts.

“We encourage students to come forward and help sequence the events together,” said Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department.

Campus to remain shut for next 48 hours

05:52 , Namita Singh

Michigan State University campus will remain closed for next 48 hours, said campus police. The shutdown may be extended, added Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department.

Breaking: Suspected shooter dead

05:38 , Namita Singh

The suspect in the fatal Michigan State University shootings has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, campus police said during a midnight press briefing.

Police releases surveillance image of suspected shooter

05:34 , Namita Singh

Student living off campus fears for life as shooter remains on loose

05:26 , Namita Singh

Aedan Kelley, a junior who lives a half-mile (less than a kilometer) east of campus, said he locked his doors and covered his windows “just in case.”

Sirens were constant, he said, and a helicopter hovered overhead.

“It’s all very frightening,” Kelley said. “And then I have all these people texting me wondering if I’m OK, which is overwhelming.”

‘They’ve been hiding, all the lights off in a dark room’

05:25 , Namita Singh

WDIV-TV meteorologist Kim Adams, whose daughter attends Michigan State, told viewers that students were worn down by the hourslong saga.

“They’ve been hiding, all the lights off in a dark room,” Adams said.

“Their cellphones are starting to lose battery charge. They don’t all have chargers with them and losing contact with the outside world is terrifying on a normal day for college kids, let alone when there’s someone out there that they haven’t caught yet.”

Police confirm shootings at two places on campus

05:25 , Namita Singh

Authorities ordered students and staff to shelter in place after a report of shots fired shortly after 8.30pm around Berkey Hall, an academic building, at the East Lansing campus.

Separately, police wrote on Twitter that there had been another reported shooting at IM East, a recreational centre for students.

Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the campus police department, did not mention IM East during the news briefing a short while ago, however, instead identifying the second shooting location as the Michigan State University Union building.

Police releases image of the suspect

04:54 , Namita Singh

“The suspect is a Black male, shorter in stature, red shoes, jean jacket, wearing a baseball cap that is navy with a lighter brim,” said MSU police on Twitter as they shared the surveillance footage showing the suspected gunman.

Suspect described as ‘black male wearing red shoes’

04:21 , Namita Singh

The MSU police officials described the suspect as a “Black male, shorter in stature” and wearing red shoes.

Community members were directed to remain sheltered in place, with police adding that the suspect is still on the loose. The officials are expected to release the surveillance footage of the suspect shortly.

Five injured, some with life-threatening injuries

04:15 , Namita Singh

MSU police confirmed that five people have been injured in the shooting on campus adding that some victims have “life-threatening injuries”.

“There were five victims. All victims transported to hospital. Some victims do have life-threatening injuries,” said MSU police during the press briefing.

14 months since last major shooting in Michigan

04:10 , Namita Singh

Monday night’s violence at Michigan State University came roughly 14 months after a deadly mass shooting on 30 November 2021, at Oxford High School in Oakland County, Michigan, about 80 miles east of East Lansing, in which a 15-year-old student opened fire with a semi-automatic pistol.

Four classmates were killed and six other students and a teacher were wounded in that attack, the deadliest US school shooting that year.

Authorities said the teenage suspect, who has pleaded not guilty to murder charges, used a gun his parents bought him as a Christmas present despite signs that he was emotionally disturbed. Both parents were charged with involuntary manslaughter in the case.

Campus activities cancelled for two days

03:57 , Namita Singh

All campus activities at Michigan State University are cancelled for the next 48 hours, said MSU police and Public Safety on Twitter as it urged students and staff to “not come to campus tomorrow”.

Police briefing at 11pm ET

03:54 , Namita Singh

Michigan State Univeristy Police and Public Safety is expected to hold a press briefing at 11pm at the Henry Centre for Executive Development.

Victims transported to Sparrow Hospital

03:53 , Namita Singh

Victims are currently being transported to Sparrow Hospital, said MSU Police and Public Safety on Twitter.

“Brody Hall, Snyder/Phillips Hall, Mason Hall, Abbot Hall, Landon Hall, the MSU Union, and Berkey Hall have all been cleared/secured.”

Michigan governor issues statement about shooting

03:47 , Namita Singh

Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer has been briefed by the authorities about the shooting at Michigan State University, she said in a tweet.

“The Michigan State Police along with @msupolice, local law enforcement and first responders are on the ground,” she said.

“Let’s wrap our arms around the Spartan community tonight.”

Single suspect described as 'a short male wearing a mask'

03:46 , Namita Singh

Police in East Lansing tweeted that a single suspect, initially described as a short male wearing a mask, was at large and believed to be on foot.

Students, faculty and residents in surrounding off-campus neighborhoods were urged by authorities to “shelter in place,” while police searched for the suspect.

MSU is a major public institution of higher education whose flagship East Lansing campus accounts for 50,000 graduate and undergraduate students.

Unspecified number of victims moved to hospital

03:38 , Namita Singh

“There are multiple reported injuries,” Michigan State University said on its official police and public safety Twitter feed. It later said an unspecified number of victims were being transported to a nearby hospital.

Several campus buildings had been cleared and secured nearly two hours after the gunfire was first reported on campus, MSU police said.

One dead and 'multiple' injuries after Michigan State University shooting

03:35 , Namita Singh

Gunfire erupted at Michigan State University on Monday, leaving at least one person dead and multiple reported injuries, as police swarmed the main campus in East Lansing searching for a lone suspect, according to authorities and local news media.

Few official details about the gun violence were immediately available, but university police said on Twitter that shots were fired in two locations - near an academic building called Berkey Hall and an athletic facility known as IM East.

The Detroit News reported one confirmed fatality on campus, inside Berkey Hall, citing Michigan State University (MSU) spokesperson Emily Guerrant, but Reuters could not independently verify that information.

03:16 , Namita Singh

Welcome to The Independent’s liveblog for Tuesday, 14 February 2023, where we provide the latest on shooting at the Michigan State University.