On the evening of February 14th, 2021, tragedy struck the Michigan State University campus when convicted felon Anthony McRae opened fire in an academic hall, killing three students and critically wounding five others. McRae had been released from probation after being convicted in 2019 of carrying a loaded firearm in a vehicle.

The victims in the MSU shooting have been identified as juniors Arielle Anderson and Alexandria Verner, and sophomore Brian Fraser, all from the Detroit area. Anderson and Fraser were from Grosse Pointe and Verner was from Clawson.

McRae's brother Michael has said that his brother had become increasingly angry and bitter after his mother's death in September 2020. In a statement to the press, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer described the shooting as a heartbreaking demonstration of the need to end gun violence - suggesting no one should have to endure such a tragedy.

Residents of McR