One was their fraternity chapter president. Another was a science student with fond memories of her days as a high-school athlete.
Family and friends mourned the deaths of three Michigan State University students killed in a Monday night shooting that critically wounded five others. Anthony McRae — the 43-year-old gunman with a previous gun violation — fatally shot himself hours later when police, alerted by a tipster who recognized the suspect in photos, confronted him about 5 miles (8047 meters) away from the East Lansing campus.
All three students who were killed came from the suburban Detroit area. One student whose name has not yet been publicly disclosed was a graduate of a high school in the Grosse Pointe district. The names of the five who were injured have not been released.
Among those killed was Alexandria Verner, a junior from Clawson, whose LinkedIn profile said she was studying integrated biology and anthropology.
A 2020 graduate of Clawson High School, Verner “was and is incredibly loved by everyone,” district Superintendent Billy Shellenbarger said in a statement Tuesday. “She was a tremendous student, athlete, leader and exemplified kindness every day of her life.
“If you knew her, you loved her and we will forever remember the lasting impact she has had on all of us,” Shellenbarger said, adding that Verner’s parents, sister and brother were “grieving but are certainly already feeling the uplifting support of this tremendous community. ”
Verner’s Twitter bio says, “Can’t stop dreaming,” and features photos and videos from Clawson basketball and volleyball games.
Also killed was Brian Fraser, a sophomore who attended Grosse Pointe South High School.
Fraser was president of Michigan State's chapter of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, which said in a statement Tuesday that its members were “heartbroken."
“Brian was our leader, and we loved him," the fraternity said. "He cared deeply about his Phi Delt brothers, his family, Michigan State University, and Phi Delta Theta. We will greatly miss Brian and mourn his death deeply as our chapter supports each other during this difficult time.”
Jon Dean, superintendent of the Grosse Pointe schools, said the third victim had also graduated from the district.
“I can’t even process what I just wrote,” Dean said in an open letter. “It is with a great deal of sadness that I bring this news to you and my thoughts go out to the many families that are suffering from another senseless act of violence.”
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Flesher reported from Traverse City, Michigan.
