Sandy MaloneEast Lansing, MI – At least five people were shot and one has reportedly died on Monday night on the campus of Michigan State University (MSU) after an active shooter opened fired in multiple locations at the university and then escaped apprehension.
“There has been shots fired and a shooting in multiple locations near campus,” MSU Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman told reporters at a press briefing late on Monday night.
Deputy Chief Rozman said the incident began at about 8:18 p.m. on Feb. 13 when the first gunshots were fired inside Berkey Hall on the north end of campus near Grand River and Farm Lane, The Detroit News reported.
The deputy chief said another shooting reported immediately after the first inside the MSU student union.
He told reporters that the first officers who responded to the report of shots fired at Berkey Hall quickly found multiple victims at the scene.
Then gunfire erupted at Snyder-Phillips Hall.
Witnesses said police swarmed that scene with weapons drawn but the gunman had already fled, The Detroit News reported.
Police on the move at Michigan State University, as tonight’s search for a suspect in the MSU campus shooting continues in East Lansing pic.twitter.com/htlrpCBRRq
— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) February 14, 2023
MSU police next investigated reports of shots fired in IM East but the suspect still evaded capture, according to authorities.
“I can confirm that there were at least five victims,” Deputy Chief Rozman said. “All five victims were transported to the hospital. Some of those victims do have life-threatening injuries.”
Gunshot victims were transported to Sparrow Hospital, according to the Detroit News.
There are multiple other reports that at least seven people have been shot and at least one of the victims have died, but the deputy chief refused to answer any questions during the briefing.
He said investigators believed that they had captured video footage of the gunman.
“We believe there to be one suspect,” he explained. “He was last seen leaving the MSU union on foot on the north side of that building.”
Deputy Chief Rozman said that preliminary description of the suspect was that of a short black man who was wearing a mask, red shoes, a jean jacket, and a ball cap.
Authorities have released screenshots of the suspect from the video and asked anyone with information to contact police.
SUSPECT PHOTOS: The suspect is a Black male, shorter in stature, red shoes, jean jacket, wearing a baseball cap that is navy with a lighter brim. pic.twitter.com/9blppnX5U3
— MSU Police and Public Safety (@msupolice) February 14, 2023
https://twitter.com/CitizenFreePres/status/1625349537064951808?s=20&t=-UET3sf6gKCWW9d-0WsyOA
The deputy chief said officials’ first priority now was the safety of the students and staff on the MSU campus and said the university had quickly activated the emergency notification system when the gunfire started.
MSU Police say there are 5 victims in the shooting and say the suspect is a "black male, shorter in statue, wearing red shoes, a jean jacket, and a ball cap." pic.twitter.com/HRwb8dcbNO
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) February 14, 2023
Deputy Chief Rozman asked students, faculty and staff to continue to shelter-in-place “as the suspect is still outstanding” and asked parents not to come to the campus to attempt to retrieve their children from the university.
Police also asked students who weren’t there when the gunfire erupted not to attempt to return to campus until the all-clear have been given.
“We are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our campus and all of our students,” the police official promised. ‘We currently have hundreds of police officers and law enforcement officials – state, local, and federal – on campus working in a coordinated effort… to apprehend the suspect.”
Victims are currently being transported to Sparrow Hospital. Brody Hall, Snyder/Phillips Hall, Mason Hall, Abbot Hall, Landon Hall, the MSU Union, and Berkey Hall have all been cleared/secured. pic.twitter.com/RFLTqOpbAV
— MSU Police and Public Safety (@msupolice) February 14, 2023
Hearing reports of 7 injured thus far. The current scene at MSU as police respond to an active shooter or perhaps even shooters. pic.twitter.com/ajEYMcHjRG
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) February 14, 2023
MSU SHOOTING: Police are still searching for a suspect who they say shot one person.
The campus is being secured by several agencies including the FBI and ATF Detroit.
All campus activities are canceled for the next two days. #MSU #michiganstate #michiganstateuniversity pic.twitter.com/edzFbtyiXH
— Amanda Porter News (@ItsAmandaPorter) February 14, 2023
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Holly Matkin
