MSU resumes tomorrow
My freshman daughter was sheltering in place Monday night in her dorm while a lunatic randomly shot people in two buildings on the Michigan State campus. We were in contact by texting and listened to the police scanner app at same time while watching it unfold on google maps tracking where LEO teams were on man hunt and others clearing buildings. It was pretty damn scary as a parent sitting 2 1/2 hours away and able to do absolutely nothing but tell her she and her roomie have done everything right so far.
They were able to wedge door stops into the dorm door and then barricaded the door with old institutional type dressers to prevent opening. The door being 2 inches thick wood and walls concrete block provided adequate protection IMHO. They were in dark and away from window.
During this several hour period there were multiple reports of 2 or 3 active shooters. This was extremely frightening as the LEO resources great as they were becoming were still taking around 20 minutes on average to clear and secure a building basement to roof. Even longer if they found unsecured doors requiring an additional team to come handle that, so the sweepers could resume.
Once my daughters building was deemed secure, we were able to breathe.
The next couple hours were pretty much building clearing and dispatch sending teams to follow up on 911 calls and texts with tips.
By now they had determined that the multiple shooter scenario was bogus tips or frightened callers hearing doors slamming, etc. Thank God!
The picture of the suspect had hit social media and hearing it unfold was unreal. The tip line/ text had started working and they were able to track this dirt bag. He had exited a campus building door that dumped him out on edge of campus he proceeded on foot into the city of East Lansing. Around 3 miles north of campus he was spotted by a tipster and LEO were able to confront him where he did us the favor of offing himself.
May he rot in Hell!
My daughter is physically fit, and her mental state will be determined over time. She has fears but realizes this threat is no more. I have a friend who is a psychologist and has given my daughter some advice and will be available to her if needed.
She will return to campus today.
She will be immersed in an environment where the university staff and community are feeling the effects but want to move forward. For that I am grateful.
She will also be immersed in the same old * political grandstanding about evil guns. OMG I'm so tired of it already. If you've seen the news, you know the speech. I won't rehash it here.
It has been a stressful week. Here's to a better next.
GTR
Comments
I wish you and your daughter well. I have a niece that was at Stoneman Douglas during the shooting and while she is doing very well, still has moments of grief and angst that she likely will carry for a long time. Obviously a strong family support system goes a long way.
Brad Steele
What happened at State was horrible beyond description. Our oldest granddaughter graduated from there last May, her boyfriend and younger sister are still students there. It was a terribly frightening few hours.
A few things about the shooter who offed himself - he was caught with a concealed unregistered pistol a while back; a five year felony here in Michigan. But it was plea bargained down to a misdemeanor with 18 months probation which he completed. Had that charge not been reduced not only would he have served a prison sentence but would have been unable to legally purchase that pistol. As it was he could!
After a short (72 hours or so) period of what I am sure was sincere sorrow the Dems are on a roll. As they control all three branches of Michigan government after the last election we will without a doubt have red flag laws, universal background checks and firearms will have to be stored under lock and key.
It's often said "Just enforce the laws we already have". Had that felony firearms charge against the MSU shooter not been plea bargained down some time ago who knows what might have happened? Could he have got a pistol illegally? Probably. Would he have? Who knows?
Yes sir, they wasted no time in whipping up the "gun violence" we gotta do something spiel.
Yes, they could have prosecuted this guy in 2019 but didn't. The Dems want criminals free and seem to be doing a good job making it happen.
Somehow, it's still the guns' fault.
There is this rock they paint on campus. They did not show pics on the news of the rock painted with the pro carry message.
I am glad to hear your family is safe.
GTR
Went through that when my sons were in Granite Hills High School.
It was amazing how fast they dropped the policy of no cell phones at school.
The school resource officer shot the perp in the butt (to bad the El Cajon PD can't shoot to good).
When the school was cleared I badged my way in to pick up my sons.
What a relief when that was over.
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain
I hope that Michigan colleges allow concealed carry to license holders and that your daughter is a license holder and carries.
Texas universities allow LTC holders to carry on campus.
In Idaho, right after we moved here certain cities and all universities banned carrying guns.
The state legislators stepped in and voided all those local laws and rules. Very few restrictions remained.
All Idahoans can carry, open or concealed. All visitors can carry if they have a carry permit.
Walmart now has a sign : "We request that you not open carry in our store" .
Margaret Thatcher
"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics."
Mark Twain
Prayers sent
Yes, prayers for all innocents involved.