Shooting incident at Michigan State University
We learned last night about another devastating incident involving gun violence, this time on the campus of Michigan State University in East Lansing, Michigan. As I write, news reports have indicated that three MSU students have been killed while at least five others are wounded. This is incredibly heartbreaking.
No matter the circumstances or venue, mass shootings are always horrifying, senseless, and unacceptable. One that takes place on a college campus, however, hits communities like ours especially hard.
Though we are proud Saint Mary’s Gaels, today we are one with our Michigan State Spartan brothers and sisters. We grieve and pray for the victims, their families and friends, and all those impacted by the shootings at MSU.
Safety is a top priority here on our campus, and I would strongly encourage members of our community to download the SMC LiveSafe app from our Campus Safety & Transportation website. LiveSafe is an established mobile safety communications company, and the app they offer is an excellent tool that allows students and others on campus to report safety concerns and communicate in real-time to our Campus Safety team.
LiveSafe serves as our primary campus notification tool, so our entire community should download it in order to receive timely notifications.
For those who may be struggling in the aftermath of the Michigan State incident, I encourage our students to take advantage of the support provided by the Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) team. We offer additional resources such as the Mission & Ministry Center and the Employee Assistance Program.
Please take care of yourselves and those around you as we continue to use our community’s strength to help create a stronger, safer, and better world and campus community.
Sincerely,
Richard Plumb, Ph.D.
President