People leave flowers, mourn and pray at a makeshift memorial at “The Rock” on the campus of Michigan State University on February 14, 2023, in Lansing, Michigan. | Source: Scott Olson / Getty
The Michigan State University (MSU) student who was not officially identified by police as being among the dead from a campus shooting there Monday night was named by her family on Tuesday.
Arielle Anderson, a 19-year-old sophomore and Michigan native, was the third confirmed fatal victim of the shooting, her family told the Detroit Free Press. The students were killed after gunman Anthony McCrae opened fire at two separate locations for reasons that are still unclear. Five others were left in critical condition from their injuries.
The circumstances under which Anderson was killed, such as in which building she was shot and where on her body she was struck, were not immediately announced.
Anderson’s family remembered their loved one as being full of life.
Anderson, 19, and a sophomore, was a bright, inspiring and humble young lady, said April Davis, her maternal grandmother, from her Eastpointe home where a small portion of Anderson’s large family gathered. She aspired to become a pediatric doctor.
“She’s kind, loving, caring, compassionate, driven,” and “very family oriented,” said Davis. Anderson stayed with her grandmother Saturday night and had her own room in Davis’ home.
Davis found out about the shooting after her daughter called her and notified her early Tuesday morning.
Anderson graduated from Grosse Pointe North High School and was devoted to her aunt – Davis’ daughter – who has special needs.
“I spoke with her yesterday on FaceTime,” Davis said of Anderson.
Kimella Spivey, another aunt, said Anderson was kind and respectful and wanted to help. She was involved in extracurricular programs, like working with senior citizens.
“This is so unbelievable. When does it stop? Really? I mean, it’s one after the other after the other. This school has been safe for so many years,” Spivey said.
Anderson’s uncle told the Detroit News that his niece excelled in academics.
“Arielle was literally just kind-hearted,” Tim Davis said. “She was just sweet and innocent. She just stayed innocent her whole life. She was soft-spoken. Always helpful. In my opinion, she was just perfect the way she conducted herself. She had great manners and was respectful. She was very smart, a straight-A student. I’m pretty sure you will hear that from everybody.”
Anderson also counted “Flavor of Love” reality show contestant Deelishis as her aunt.
From the Detroit News:
Anderson was the niece of “Flavor of Love” reality star Chandra Davis, known on the show as Deelishis, according to Davis’ social media posts. On Monday night, Deelishis posted a photo of Anderson on Instagram and asked for prayers because her niece “was in her classroom in the same building as the active shooter and we have not heard from her.”
Chandra Davis later pinned a comment on that post from another relative that said: “My sweet beautiful niece … RIP baby girl.”
The other shooting victims were identified by police as Brian Fraser, also a sophomore, and Alexandria Verner, a junior.
What happened?
Police first received reports Monday night around 8:15 local time that shots had been fired in an academic building where classes were being held. That prompted MSU to send its students and staff a message about 15 minutes later advising them to “run, hide, fight.”
The second shooting took place shortly afterward in a building that contained a dining hall.
At least one person was killed in the building with the dining area and at least two others were killed in Berkey Hall, the academic building.
While police responded to the shooting at Berkey Hall, McCrae, 43, was apparently making his way toward the MSU Union building, where the second shooting took place.
After police confronted McCrae a while later off campus, he turned a gun on himself and died by suicide. The police were reportedly tipped off about McCrae’s whereabouts.
Police said they were seeking McCrae’s motive and an address linked to him was being searched Tuesday morning.
“We have no idea why he came to campus to do this tonight,” MSU interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman told reporters during a briefing late Monday night.
The Detroit News reported that McCrae is a convicted felon with a history of various weapons violations.
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