“The information came from a medical professional to fulfill 'Duty to Warn' obligations under Michigan Law,” the email read. “The information was therefore second-hand and required further investigation.”

Classes were moved online “out of an abundance of caution,” according to a campus-wide email sent earlier Thursday morning.

DPPS confirmed that the individual is not an employee or student of MSU. Berkey Hall will reopen and resume normal operations at 7 a.m. Friday, according to DPPS.

For students who have classes in Berkey, like communications freshman Ella Stecewicz, the news “threw off” her day.

Berkey Hall was one of the sites of the Feb. 13, 2023 campus shooting, which killed three students and injured five others. 

Stecewicz's older sisters were on campus during the shooting, which impacted her decision to come to MSU, as she did not want it to consume her everyday thoughts while walking on campus or sitting in class. 

“I came in knowing that was a possibility,” Stecewicz said. “It being the first week of school, it’s definitely a little alarming.” 

The widespread confusion was a large cause of political theory and constitutional democracy freshman Mia Wilson's distress, who said she “didn't understand what was happening at first."

Wilson only realized the severity of the situation when her dad texted her, "freaking out."

Applied conservation biology freshman Vivian Gerwolos, who has a class in Berkey Hall, already had an unrelated class canceled this morning, so she was confused when she woke up to another class cancellation. 

"I’m glad that it got canceled, so that if anything were to actually happen, like we weren’t there," Gerwolos said. "It’s always crazy when something like that happens."

Not everyone felt alarmed by the hall's closure. Biochemistry freshman Maddie Horenziak woke up to the alert in her Campbell Hall dorm. Horenziak, who has a math recitation in Berkey on Friday, said she still felt “safe" on campus despite the perceived threat. 

“I really hope they figure it out today so I don’t have to take my class online tomorrow because I would rather go in-person,” Horenziak said.

Kinesiology and psychology junior Da’Nia Reese said she wished the university had provided more information to the community about the potential threat. As a transfer student from Macomb Community College, this was also her first week on campus.

“To have gotten that threat and that was like my last class yesterday … I do wish that there was more information sent out, and I wish it was sent out way earlier, too,” Reese said. “As soon as you guys (police) find out, we should find out.”

“It’s very interesting that they only closed that hall as if a suspect can’t target another hall,” Reese added.

Business freshman Gavin Wilkins was surprised to see the news, but not worried. He said he felt safe with the knowledge of police presence and other safety resources on campus.

“I think just even the plan of shutting down or locking the building down is a step that I don’t know how many other colleges would take,” Wilkins said. “I’m sure that they’d rather take the steps to prevent it now than wait until something terrible happens.”

Urban planning sophomore Nate Justice, who has two classes in Berkey, had heard sirens earlier but didn't know what they were for. 

"I saw a potential threat, but then I saw they’re working with state police, so hopefully everything’s okay," he said.

President Kevin Guskiewicz thanked law enforcement and MSU faculty for navigating the "uncertainty" in an email sent late Thursday afternoon.

"I realize this isn’t ideal, especially during the first week of class when many are getting their bearings and adjusting to campus life," Guskiewicz wrote. "But safety will always come first."