On February 13 at 8:18 pm, a gunman opened fire at Michigan State University. This tragedy has caused much speculation and disappointment in regards to how the university handled the situation.  Because all responders were said to have gone directly “toward the threat,” there was no one assigned to send an emergency alert to students. By the time a delayed warning was sent, shooter Anthony McRae had already fatally shot 3 students.

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Many students have begun to question why they were notified of these threats so late. Some students have even taken to social media to express their fear and concerns about the incident. Personally, I saw a Tiktok posted by 19 year old student Mason Tannar. In her brief video, she shared screenshots of the warnings she received via email from MSU, the first one being at 8:33pm, 15 minutes after the first shot was fired. The email also said to “Run, Hide, Fight” in terms of safety guidance for students. The next notification she received was not until 10:06pm, when MSU alerts warned that there was still an active shooter. It was clear that Tannar was aggravated by the way the university handled the situation and did not feel safe by any means. 

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According to Jonathan Oosting, another student, Maren Freifield spoke up at a campus town hall meeting and said, “We had a total of 15 minutes not knowing what was going on, as well as not knowing where to avoid.” Many public officials have expressed their gratitude towards agencies who arrived on the MSU campus in efforts to protect the students. 

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According to Christina Zdanowicz and David Williams, CNN reporters, Gunman Anthony McRae killed himself off campus when he was approached by authorities hours later. McRae fatally shot three students: Arielle Anderson, Alexandria Verner and Brian Fraser. He injured 5 others. 

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This tragedy has proved that it is important for all schools to have a planned course of action in case of an emergency as severe as this one. Michigan State’s delayed warnings ultimately led to an increased sense of hysteria amongst all students. If officials had utilized time more efficiently, who knows what lives could have been saved. If this devastating incident has taught people one thing, it is that there is always room for improvement, especially when young lives are at stake. 

 

Works Cited: 

Oosting, Jonathan. "Michigan State Shooting: Alerts to Students Delayed As Police Rushed to Campus." Michigan News, State, Politics, Jobs, Education | Bridge Michigan, 27 Feb. 2023, www.bridgemi.com/talent-education/michigan-state-shooting-alerts-students-delayed-police-rushed-campus.

 

Zdanowicz, Christina and David Williams. "She Was Studying to Become a Doctor. Here's What We Know About the Michigan State University Shooting Victims." CNN, 16 Feb. 2023, www.cnn.com/2023/02/14/us/victims-michigan-state-university-shooting/index.html.