In one fit of rage, McCowan took a life, destroyed his own and ruined countless others. A series of aggressive text messages turned into a brawl which turned into a stabbing. Singler had a blood-alcohol content of .124 percent the night he was killed, according to toxicology reports. He called McCowan “whore,” “slut” and “queer” in texts, at one point even inviting him over to fight. It was Singler who threw the first punch. Then McCowan pierced Singler in the heart with a flip blade.

This isn’t the first time a street fight ended in death in East Lansing.

Brandon D’Annunzio, 24, collapsed 13 years ago on the pavement in front of Buffalo Wild Wings, then BW-3, after a stranger punched him so hard in the face he fell backward onto the street and cracked his skull open. His assailant kicked him in the head with a force equivalent to falling from a second-story window, and 11 days later D’Annunzio died in Lansing’s Sparrow Hospital.

In college, it’s easy to dismiss a fight as a drunken show of arms. It’s not uncommon for sharp words to escalate to violence at a college party, especially when alcohol is involved. But if we are to learn anything from Singler and McCowan, it’s that heated words can spiral out of control and end in unexpected tragedy.

Most often, the scramble ends in nothing more than a black eye and a bruised ego. But what starts as a sloppy hit quickly can turn into something much, much worse. Add a weapon to the mix and suddenly things get scary. A few light punches later and someone could end up moaning on the ground as a crowd kicks them in the face.

Too often students watch — or worse, cheer — when a fight erupts late at night. Almost every student has seen someone throw a punch. It’s dismissed as “boys being boys” and an unavoidable part of being in college.

There’s a fine line between a fight for status and a fight to the death, so don’t just sit there and gawk as someone lies bleeding on the ground. Before things escalate and someone gets seriously injured, call the police. Medical amnesty protects underage students from minor-in-possession citations if they call for help, and a drunk and disorderly ticket is nothing compared to saving someone’s life.

There’s nothing manly or admirable about what McCowan did, and Singler’s texts also went too far. A fight might seem like a heroic move or a way to prove valor, but it’s not. At best, it shows a lack of self-control and immaturity. At worst, it could mean seriously injuring another human being, or spending the next two decades in jail, living with murder.

Do not let Andrew’s death be in vain. Avoid fighting at all costs, and call police if one breaks out.