Gunman kills three, wounds five at Michigan State University

The suspected gunman shot himself Monday night after opening fire in classrooms at Michigan State University’s East Lansing Campus that evening, police said. Police are still investigating the 43-year-old suspect's motive, but said he was not affiliated with the university as either a student or an employee.  Police found a note in the suspected shooter’s pocket threatening two schools in Ewing Township, N.J., where the shooter used to live. The police later said there was no credible threat and that the victims were all students. The five wounded victims remained in critical condition Tuesday morning. 

How long did the shooting last? Students heard some of the first shots around 8 p.m. and a shelter-in-place text was sent to students at about 8:30 p.m. The suspected shooter died from a “self-inflicted gunshot wound” about four hours after the first shots, police said. Police had some contact with the suspected shooter before he died. Authorities lifted the shelter-in-place order shortly after midnight. All campus activities—including classes and sports—were suspended Tuesday. 

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Susan Olasky’s column in WORLD Magazine on how Christians should respond to mass shootings.