DailyExpertNews
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A suspect has died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound following a mass shooting at Michigan State University Monday night that left three people dead and five others wounded, police said.
“There is no longer a threat to the campus,” said deputy deputy principal Chris Rozman. “We believe there is only one shooter in this incident and there is no longer any need to shelter on campus.”
The shooting, which spanned two different campus locations, led to an hour-long shelter order as hundreds of multi-agency officers converged on campus to search for the shooter.
The first report of shots fired came at 8:18 p.m. ET from Berkey Hall, an academic building on the north side of campus. Officers responded to the building within minutes and found several victims of the shooting, including two who died, Rozman said.
The incident began at 8:18 p.m. ET at Berkey Hall, where several victims of the shooting were found, Rozman said. Immediately after, shots were fired near the Michigan State University Union Building, he said.
“Police and emergency services acted quickly. We cared for the victims at both scenes,” Rozman said.
According to Rozman, two of the deaths were at Berkey Hall and the third at the MSU Union.
At least five people have been taken to hospital, all in critical condition, according to Rozman. Police have not disclosed whether any of the victims were students.
Hours later, the suspect was “contacted by off-campus law enforcement” and “it appears that suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound,” Rosman reported.
“This has really been a nightmare we’re living in tonight,” said Rozman. “We are relieved that we no longer have an active threat on campus as we realize that so much healing will need to take place after that,” he added.
Rozman said it remains unknown what prompted the shooting.
“I can’t even imagine what that motive would be,” Rozman said. “That will of course be part of our investigation. I know that will be a question that will stick with everyone. We will do our best to determine that, but at the moment we have no idea.”
All classes, athletics and campus-related activities at MSU will be canceled for 48 hours, the campus police said, adding, “Please DO NOT come to campus tomorrow.”
The mass shooting made for a terrifying experience for students as the suspect remained at large and officers in tactical gear streamed through the campus.
At around 10:10 p.m., police tweeted that Berkey Hall and other campus buildings had been evacuated, including Brody Hall, Snyder/Phillips Hall, Mason Hall, Abbot Hall, Landon Hall, and the MSU Union.
MSU student Chris Trush told DailyExpertNews he saw people running out of the Union building — a gathering place for students on campus — shortly before an emergency alert went out to students informing them of the campus shooting.
Trush said he was watching TV in his apartment just after 8 p.m. when he saw police cars and ambulances racing down Grand River Avenue. He then saw people running out of the Union building.
“That’s when I knew something was really going on,” he said.
Trush said he saw dozens of officers begin swarming the area with long guns, and realized a shooting had occurred.
“I’m not going out for the next few days, of course,” he said.
While shelter orders were in effect Monday night, another student, Gabe Treutel, said he and his fellow students huddled and turned to a local police scanner for information.
“We’re not learning much,” Charles told DailyExpertNews’s Erin Burnett earlier in the evening, saying she hadn’t heard any gunshots herself, but that some of her colleagues heard shots.
“Everyone is obviously a little stressed, but seems to be calm now,” said Charles.