Police say Michigan State shooter had note threatening two NJ schools

The alleged shooter who killed three students at Michigan State University (MSU) on Monday had a note in his pocket threatening two New Jersey public schools — leading to the closure of schools and heightened security at a number of universities in the state, according to police.

The suspect, Anthony McRae, 43, who shot and killed himself following the Monday night shootings, was found with a note in his pocket containing threats to two schools in Ewing, N.J., a township in the central part of the state, according to the Township of Ewing Police Department.

“When McRae was found by police in Michigan, he had a note in his pocket that indicated a threat to two Ewing Public Schools,” the department said in a press release. The department said he had ties to the area.

Ewing Public Schools closed on Tuesday out of “an abundance of caution.” But police said it has been determined that there was no threat to the area and the incident was confined to Michigan.

Two local colleges, Rider University and The College of New Jersey, both told the community in emails that they were heightening security on campus on Tuesday but made clear there was no direct threat to the schools.

After killing three and injuring at least five, McRae was the subject of an hours-long manhunt while students sheltered in place, according to police. McRae was later found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in Lansing, Mich. 

The shooting at Michigan State came just one day before the five-year anniversary of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., which left 14 students and three staff members dead.

Two of the deceased victims were also identified by police on Tuesday sophomore MSU student Brian Fraser of Grosse Pointe, Mich., and junior MSU student Alexandria Verner of Clawson, Mich. Authorities did not release the third victim’s name out of respect for the family.