Three people were killed and at least five others were injured after a gunman opened fire in at least two locations on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing on Monday night, the university police said. The shooter remained at large.
The announcement of the three deaths came less than an hour after the campus police reported that five people had been wounded and transported to a hospital. “Some of those victims do have life-threatening injuries,” according to the university Police Department’s interim deputy police chief, Chris Rozman.
The university’s Police Department sent an alert about 8:30 p.m. urging people on campus to “secure in place immediately,” and hundreds of law enforcement officers swarmed the unusually empty streets near campus.
Rozman said shots were fired inside Berkey Hall, home to the school’s college of arts and sciences. He said a second shooting, “immediately following the first incident,” took place at the MSU student union. The shooter was last seen on foot leaving the student union from the north side of the building.
The shooter was still believed to be on foot as of 11 pm local time.
Julian Alonso, a Michigan State University freshman, left his dorm to buy a snack at a nearby 7-Eleven. As he turned back toward his dorm, he saw at least 10 police vehicles.
“I covered the door with my roommate’s bed and I turned off the lights,” Alonso said. “I’m keeping myself hidden in the closet.”
Albert Street near campus, usually busy with bar patrons, was all but silent except for the sounds of sirens and a helicopter in the distance.
In other developments:
The shooter is believed to be “a Black male, short in stature, wearing red shoes and a jean jacket and a ball cap,” Rozman said.
Several law enforcement agencies responded late Monday to the reports of shots fired. The FBI’s Detroit field office said that it was assisting.
The university’s police said all campus activities had been canceled for 48 hours, including classes and athletics. “Please DO NOT come to campus tomorrow,” the police said.Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan said that she had been briefed on the situation.
“Let’s wrap our arms around the Spartan community tonight,” she said on Twitter, referring to the university’s mascot. “We will keep everyone updated as we learn more,” she added.