It was one year ago today at 8:18 p.m. that a 911 call came into Ingham County central dispatch. A gunman had opened fire on the campus of Michigan State University. Three students lost their lives five others were injured. Thousands of students, families and community members had their sense of safety torn away.
WKAR spoke with police, school officials and survivors for a special report to document the community's recovery, one year later.
'I held that door shut': MSU professor reflects on campus shooting
It’s been one year since a gunman entered Michigan State University’s campus, shooting and killing three students and injuring five others.
That night, like every Monday before, Michigan State University professor Marco Diaz-Muñoz was teaching a class on Cuban cultural identity on the first floor of Berkey Hall when it was interrupted by a steam of gunshots and panicked screams.
"In one second, you're having this positive and opening minds," Diaz-Muñoz told WKAR. "And the next, lives are gone."
'That illusion of protection is ruined': MSU students navigate aftermath of campus shooting
On the evening of Feb. 13, 2023, Amelia Nowicki, a sophomore at Michigan State University at the time, was studying in the basement of the MSU Business Library.
“We weren’t getting push notifications because there’s no service,” Nowicki said. “But iMessages come through because of the Wi-Fi connection.”
For Nowicki, it's been hard to feel safe in familiar spaces after seeing how quickly safety can be removed from them.
“That illusion of protection is ruined," she said.
How MSU is preserving memorials after campus shooting
In the days after the Feb. 13 shooting, spaces all around Michigan State University's campus became makeshift memorials as people gathered and brought flowers, signs and candles to share in the sadness of the tragedy.
But as classes resumed and students regained a sense of normalcy, it became clear that there needed to be a plan for what do with the thousands of objects left behind.
"Not long after, what I'll describe as my museum brain had to click on," said Mary Worrall, the director of collections at the MSU Museum.
Worrall and the rest of the museum team got to work so nothing would end up being destroyed by the elements.
'We heal differently': MSU police chief recalls campus shooting
Michigan State University's Department of Police and Public Safety led the emergency response the night of Feb. 13. One year later, campus police are continuing to process the events of that day.
Chris Rozman, MSU's chief of police, is an alum and has been on the university police department for more than 20 years. He was interim deputy chief on the night of the shooting. As officers helped the injured and searched for a suspect, Rozman was tasked with informing the public.
Rozman spoke with WKAR's Arjun Thakkar about how he and his officers have adapted emotionally since that time and how his department has continued to work on safety on campus.
MSU interim president speaks on healing after campus shooting, plans for permanent memorial
As the MSU community marks the one-year anniversary of the February 13th shooting on Michigan State University’s campus, WKAR is bringing you the voices of those who were most impacted and those who found themselves on the frontlines responding to the tragedy.
MSU interim President Teresa Woodruff was one of those Spartans. During a conversation with WKAR's Sophia Saliby, Woodruff shared how she's processed what happened that night.
"For all of us, it has been to bring the voices of those most affected as well as folks from within campus, within the community, and in the larger Spartan alumni network, and those that care about Michigan State University," she said.
The MSU Union reopened months after shooting, but support from Spartans came immediately
Feb. 13 forever shaped centers of student life on Michigan State University’s campus.
Berkey Hall and the MSU Union remained closed for months after the tragedy to give Spartans time to mourn those lost, but the outpouring of love and support to the campus was immediate.
Mental health experts note intense emotions surround one-year mark of MSU shooting
The Michigan State University community may be feeling a range of emotions as the one-year mark of an on-campus shooting approaches.
Whether you're experiencing stress, anxiety, lingering trauma or just feeling unsettled, mental health experts say you're not alone.
"At the anniversary time, the symptoms can be brought back up to the surface," said Alyse Folino Ley, an associate professor of psychiatry at MSU.
Former MSU spokesperson shares the 'emotional toll' of relaying information after Feb. 13
It has been one year since a gunman entered Michigan State University's campus, shooting and killing three students and injuring five others.
On that evening, former MSU deputy spokesperson Dan Olsen was tasked with coordinating communication during the crisis with the broader campus community.
"I was just trying to get into bed and trying to relax before I headed into bed for the night," Olsen recalls. "And then a quick succession of phone calls, text messages, and then alerts."
How one restaurant stepped up to support an MSU shooting survivor
A traumatic experience like the Feb. 13 mass shooting at Michigan State University often provides an opportunity for the community to help. After the shooting, the owners of East Cafe, a Chinese restaurant in East Lansing, prepared and delivered food to a wounded student.
