On Feb.15, MSU students attended a rally at the Capitol, where they recounted their experiences from the Feb.13 mass shooting on MSU's campus. Students described feelings of horror, helplessness and anger.
Various institutions in Greater Lansing have offered support through goods like free coffee, beauty services and experiences for students, staff and first responders that have been affected by the mass shooting on MSU's campus.
“As a mom and a legislator, I feel like I failed you and that we have all failed you,” Rep. Julie Brixie of Okemos said.
Jack Harrell heard the gunshots. His first reaction was to run away as fast as he could. "It was just human nature," he said.
“I think the parents need to remember they need time to heal too,” MSU parent Eric Swanson said. “This was the biggest panic attack most of us have ever had. I've told friends that I’ve never felt as scared and helpless in my entire life as I did during those hours, and as much as we need to be there for our kids, we need to heal too.”
“I’m just trying to be the adult that I needed when I was a kid,” Reser said. “I know what it’s like to be a student that just wants to go home.”
“It feels good that I can serve the community and that I’m recognized enough to be sought after for impactful, meaningful work and that’s what I work for,” Lee said. “I love for art to serve the community more than just pretty pictures, but I hate to come for this reason. I take no joy in doing this.”
When Groeller heard about the new message that had been painted on the rock, her first thought that was the vigil that will be held Tuesday afternoon in front of it. "I thought to myself, 'who's gonna paint this over?'" Groller said. "And well, why not me?"
Hofstra University Professor Mitchell Schare said while many students may become increasingly fearful in the coming days–distrusting strangers, not wanting to leave their dorms or apartments–it’s not uncommon for others to be confident about their safety immediately following a traumatic violent event.
The family of Guadalupe Huapilla-Perez, who was hospitalized for an injury she suffered in Monday's mass shooting, is asking for donations to cover medical costs and other expenses.
“While we process (our feelings), we don't want to push ourselves into isolation,” Gayle said. “We want to seek opportunities to come together so that we can help each other as we go through this … Most of what anyone who needs help is feeling right now, others are feeling the same, and that's why it's important that we come together and try to unpack some of those feelings and try to help each other.”
Students arrived on campus on Feb. 14, 2023, bouquets in hand - but the flowers weren’t for their valentines. This Valentine’s Day there was no sense of normalcy. The streets on campus were quiet and the majority of the cars were media outlets or police vehicles. The flowers? For Brian Fraser, Alexandria Verner and Arielle Anderson, the three students who were killed, and the five unnamed students who were seriously injured, in the mass shooting at Michigan State University the night before.
In the wake of MSU's mass shooting on Feb. 13, lawmakers in both the state House and Senate pledged "change," with Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks promising "common sense gun control."
“I’m just leaving because I just don't feel safe right now,” Madison Krull said. “Especially with the Union right there.”
Following the mass shooting on Michigan State University’s campus, MSU community leadership sent out statements showing their support for students.
Michigan State University and the East Lansing community has sprung into action with making sure students are supported and have outlets to cope after the mass shooting Monday night.
Alexandria Verner, from Clawson, was a junior studying biology. Verner played volleyball, basketball and softball.Brian Fraser, from Grosse Pointe, was a sophomore studying business. Fraser was the Chapter President of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity at MSU. Arielle Anderson, a junior at MSU, was from Grosse Pointe.
Jack Harrison's first instinct was to get into a car and get as far from campus as possible.
“We were just kind of laying there, it was kind of just a strange feeling because we were told everything was ok but it didn’t really feel like it,” journalism freshman Ava Moschete said.
On how the Oxford community has moved on from its mass shooting, if there’s a timeline for when normalcy will resume, Haden said “it’s impossible to truly heal from something like this.”