A few weeks before Michigan State University's mass shooting, the accused gunman said he was beaten up by a group of students in downtown East Lansing, a tipster told university police a day after the campus tragedy.
This detail, revealed in a 91-page preliminary MSU police case report released to The Detroit News through a public records request, offers context to what possibly occurred leading up to the Feb. 13 shooting. The revelation comes a month after MSU police said in an April 27 update that they had found "no conclusive motive" behind 43-year-old Anthony McRae's actions to open fire at three locations at the university, killing three and wounding five others, before taking his own life.
kAm$FCG6:==2?46 G:56@D D9@H65 p?E9@?J |4#26 3@F89E 2>>F?:E:@? 7C@> 2 sF?92>VD DA@CE:?8 8@@5D DE@C6 2E E96 {2?D:?8 |2== 23@FE E9C66 9@FCD 367@C6 E96 u63] `b D9@@E:?8 2E |:49:82? $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ]k^Am
kAmx?4=F565 :? E96 C6A@CE :D 2? :?E6CG:6H 3J |$& $8E] s2G:5 xD236== @? u63] `c H:E9 2? F?:56?E:7:65 >2? H9@ 42>6 E@ E96 A@=:46 DE2E:@? 2?5 D2:5 96 <?6H |4#26[ H9@> 96 C676CC65 E@ 2D Q%@?J]Q %96 >2? D2:5 96 >6E |4#26 :? a_`g 2E 2 4@>>F?:EJ 82E96C:?8 @7 C6D:56?ED H@C<:?8 E@ :>AC@G6 8C62E6C {2?D:?8 4@>>F?:E:6D] |4#26 =:G65 :? {2?D:?8]k^Am
kAm%96 >2?[ H9@D6 ?2>6 H2D C6524E65[ E@=5 A@=:46 E92E 96 =2DE D2H |4#26 E9C66 H66<D 62C=:6C]k^Am
kAmQWw6X DE2E65 E92E %@?J D66>65 E@ 36 28:E2E65[Q E96 C6A@CE D2JD] Q%@?J E@=5 W9:>X E92E 96 925 366? 362E6? FA 3J DEF56?ED] %@?J 5:5?VE :?5:42E6 :7 E96 DEF56?ED H6C6 |$& DEF56?ED] %@?J 5:5 ?@E 25G:D6 H92E 42FD65 E96 2=E6C42E:@? 36EH66? 9:> 2?5 E96 DEF56?ED]Qk^Am
kAm%96 2==6865 :?4:56?E @44FCC65 :? 5@H?E@H? t2DE {2?D:?8 :? 2? 2C62 E96 H:E?6DD D2:5 |4#26 7C6BF6?E65 QE@ 4@==64E 42?D 7@C >@?6J @? E96 H66<6?5D]Qk^Am
kAmQWw6X 36=:6G6D E96 :?5:42E65 2=E6C42E:@? H:E9 DEF56?ED >2J 92G6 366? E96 >@E:G6 369:?5 E96 D9@@E:?8 @? a^`b^a_ab[Q 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 A@=:46 C6A@CE] Qw6 2=D@ C642==D 92G:?8 4@?G6CD2E:@?D H:E9 %@?J 23@FE >2DD D9@@E:?8D :? E96 A2DE] %96D6 4@?G6CD2E:@?D H6C6 ?@E C646?E :? ?2EFC6] Ww6X 36=:6G6D %@?J 925 2? :?72EF2E:@? H:E9 D49@@= D9@@E:?8D^D9@@E6CD]Qk^Am
kAm|$& DA@<6DH@>2? t>:=J vF6CC2?E @? %9FCD52J 564=:?65 4@>>6?E @? E96 56G6=@A>6?E]k^Am
kAm%96 C6A@CE 2=D@ DFAA=:6D >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@? 23@FE E96 >@G6>6?ED @7 |4#26 367@C6 96 @A6?65 7:C6 :? q6C<6J w2== 2?5 E96 |$& &?:@?[ <:==:?8 `h\J62C\@=5 pC:6==6 p?56CD@? @7 w2CA6C (@@5D[ a_\J62C\@=5 p=6I2?5C:2 '6C?6C @7 r=2HD@? 2?5 a_\J62C\@=5 qC:2? uC2D6C @7 vC@DD6 !@:?E6 2?5 D6G6C6=J :?;FC:?8 E96 7:G6 @E96C |$& DEF56?ED]k^Am
kAm|4#26 D62C4965 @? v@@8=6 2?5 H2E4965 G:56@D @7 |$& E@FCD 2?5 D49@@= D9@@E:?8D 367@C6 E96 >2DD24C6] w6 AFC492D65 2>>F?:E:@? 7C@> sF?92>VD $A@CED @? E96 D2>6 52J 2D E96 D9@@E:?8[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 C6A@CE]k^Am
kAm(2CC2?E 7@C v@@8=6 D62C496Dk^Am
kAm%96 A@=:46 C6A@CE :?4=F565 |4#26VD v@@8=6 D62C496D E92E H6C6 @3E2:?65 3J 2FE9@C:E:6D H:E9 2 D62C49 H2CC2?E]k^Am
kAm~? s64] a_[ 2C@F?5 c A]>][ |4#26 6:89E E:>6D G:D:E65 E96 H63D:E6 @7 Qw: !@:?E u:C62C>D[Q 2 |2?D7:6=5[ ~9:@[\32D65 7:C62C>D >2?F724EFC6C 2=D@ <?@H? 2D $EC2DD6==VD |249:?6 x?4][ H9:49 56D4C:36D :ED6=7 @?=:?6 2D QJ@FC D@FC46 7@C 277@C523=6 92?58F?D 2?5 42C3:?6D]Qk^Am
kAm|4#26 2=D@ 4@?5F4E65 ?62C=J 2 5@K6? D62C496D 7@C QsF?92>D $A@CED[Q Q5F?92>D 62DE =2?D:?8Q 2?5 Q5F?92>D =2?D:?8 >2== =2?D:?8 >:Q 2C@F?5 >:5?:89E @? s64] ah[ E96 A@=:46 C6A@CE D9@HD]k^Am
kAmv@@8=6 2=D@ AC@G:565 A@=:46 H:E9 |4#26VD 9:DE@CJ @7 *@F%F36 G:6HD 7C@> s646>36C E@ u63CF2CJ]k^Am
kAm%H@ 52JD 367@C6 E96 |$& D9@@E:?8 @? u63] ``[ |4#26 D62C4965 2?5 G:6H65 ?F>6C@FD G:56@D @7 QE@FCD @7 |$&VD 42>AFD[ <:==6C 5@4F>6?E2C:6D[ D49@@= D9@@E:?8 G:56@D[ 2CD@?D 2?5 9JA?@D:D[Q E96 A@=:46 C6A@CE D9@HD]k^Am
kAmQ~E96C D62C4965 2?5 H2E4965 G:56@D H6C6 5@4F>6?E65 @? G2C:@FD @E96C 52JD :? E96 AC@G:565 E:>67C2>6 C6=2E65 E@ V<:==6CV G:56@D[Q E96 C6A@CE D2JD] Q~E96C D62C4965 E6C>D E92E D9@F=5 36 ?@E65 :?4=F56 VA6@A=6 E92E D9@E FA 4@==686DV 2?5 V>2DD <:==:?8D :? 4@==686D]VQk^Am
kAmQx? 255:E:@?[ @? u63CF2CJ g[ a_ab[ 244@F?E 9:DE@CJ E9C@F89 *@F%F36 C6G62=65 D62C496D 7@C VE96 3@>36CV 2?5 VE96 ?2:= 3@>36C]VQk^Am
kAm$FCG6:==2?46 G:56@ D9@HD 2>>@ AFC492D6k^Am
kAm|$& A@=:46 AC6G:@FD=J C6A@CE65 E92E |4#26 925 2=4@9@= 2?5 >2C:;F2?2 :? 9:D DJDE6> @? u63] `b[ 2?5 E96 =2E6DE A@=:46 C6A@CE C6G62=D H92E 96 5C2?<]k^Am
kAm&?:G6CD:EJ A@=:46 :?E6CG:6H65 2? 6>A=@J66 2E v6?6VD "F:< $9@A :? {2?D:?8[ H96? E96J C6G:6H65 G:56@ 7@@E286 D9@H:?8 E92E 96 925 4@>6 E@ E96 DE@C6 2C@F?5 aiba A]>] @? u63] `b] %96 6>A=@J66 C6>6>36C65 |4#26 925 3@F89E 2 A:?E @7 pCC@H 3=24<36CCJ 7=2G@C65 3C2?5J 2?5 D2:5 :E H2D F?FDF2= E92E 96 3@F89E 2=4@9@=] %96 6>A=@J66 D2:5 |4#26 7C6BF6?E65 E96 DE@C6 D6G6C2= E:>6D 2 H66< 2?5 FDF2==J 3@F89E Q4:82C6EE6D[ 42E 7@@5 2?5 2 `a A24< @7 r@<6^!6AD:[Q 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 C6A@CE]k^Am
kAm!@=:46 @3E2:?65 D62C49 H2CC2?ED @? u63] `d 2?5 u63] `f 7@C DFCG6:==2?46 G:56@D 7C@> sF?92>VD $A@CED :? E96 {2?D:?8 |2==]k^Am
kAm%96 DFCG6:==2?46 G:56@D :? E96 C6A@CE 2C6 ?@E 52E65] qFE |$& A@=:46 56A2CE>6?E DA@<6DH@>2? s2?2 (9JE6 4@?7:C>65 %9FCD52J E@ %96 }6HD E92E 3@E9 DFCG6:==2?46 G:56@D H6C6 E2<6? @? u63] `b[ E96 52J @7 E96 D9@@E:?8]k^Am
kAm%96 7:CDE DFCG6:==2?46 G:56@ D9@HD E92E |4#26 6?E6C65 sF?92>VD 2E bibg A]>] w6 DA@<6 E@ 2? 6>A=@J66[ H6?E :?E@ 2 C6DEC@@> 2?5 E96? H2=<65 2C@F?5 E96 DE@C6] w6 =67E E96 DE@C6 2E bice A]>]k^Am
kAm%96 D64@?5 G:56@ D9@H65 |4#26 8@:?8 324< :?E@ sF?92>VD 2E cicg A]>] w6 H2=<65 E@ E96 D64E:@? @7 E96 DE@CJ H96C6 2>>F?:E:@? :D =@42E65] w6 =67E E96 2C62[ E96? C6EFC?65] p? 6>A=@J66 @A6?65 E96 2>>F?:E:@? 42D6 2E cid_ A]>]k^Am
kAmp7E6C 7@FC >:?FE6D[ |4#26 H2=<65 2H2J 7C@> E96 2>>F?:E:@? 42D6 2?5 =67E E96 DE@C6] w6 2AA62C65 E@ 8@ E@ E96 DE@C6 24C@DD E96 92==[ E96 A@=:46 C6A@CE D2JD]k^Am
kAm%96 6>A=@J66 E@@< EH@ 3@I6D @7 2>>F?:E:@? 2?5 AFE E96> F?56C 2 C68:DE6C ?62C E96 6I:E] |4#26 C6EFC?65 E@ E96 DE@C6 2E 2C@F?5 d A]>][ C6EFC?65 E@ E96 2>>F?:E:@? 2C62[ E96? H6?E E@ E96 C68:DE6C H96C6 E96 2>>F?:E:@? H2D A=2465]k^Am
kAmQw6 A2JD 7@C E96 2>>F?:E:@? H:E9 42D9[ 2?5 6I:ED E96 DE@C6 ;FDE 367@C6 Wdi_c A]>]X[Q E96 A@=:46 C6A@CE D2JD]k^Am
kAm%92E D2>6 52J[ 244@C5:?8 E@ 2 AC6G:@FD=J C6=62D65 A@=:46 E:>6=:?6[ |4#26 E@@< 2 3FD E@ |$&VD 42>AFD 2?5 8@E @77 2E E96 vC2?5 #:G6C^q6C<6J w2== 3FD DE@A 2E fi`h A]>] p? 9@FC =2E6C[ 2E gi`g A]>][ x?892> r@F?EJ h`` C646:G65 E96 7:CDE 42== @7 D9@ED 7:C65 2E q6C<6J w2==]k^Am
kAm~? u63] a`[ A@=:46 :?E6CG:6H65 3J A9@?6 2 sF?92>VD 6>A=@J66 H9@ E@@< E96 A2J>6?E 7C@> |4#26] qFE E92E 6>A=@J66 5:5 ?@E C6>6>36C 2?JE9:?8 23@FE |4#26]k^Am
kAm|$& A@=:46 92G6 AC6G:@FD=J D2:5 |4#26 925 ada C@F?5D :? 9:D A@DD6DD:@?]k^Am
kAm|4#26 925 EH@ 92?58F?D :? 9:D A@DD6DD:@? E92E 96 925 AFC492D65 =682==J 3FE 925 ?@E C68:DE6C65[ |$& A@=:46 92G6 D2:5]k^Am
kAmw6 @?=J 5:D492C865 @?6 @7 E96 H62A@?D[ 2 %2FCFD vb h>> 92?58F?[ D9@@E:?8 :E 2E =62DE `g E:>6D @? u63] `b[ A@=:46 4@?4=F565[ 27E6C 7:?5:?8 `c 3F==6E 42D:?8D :? q6C<6J w2==[ E9C66 3F==6E 42D:?8D :? E96 &?:@? 3F:=5:?8 2?5 @?6 3F==6E 42D:?8 @FED:56 @7 E96 |$& wF>2? t4@=@8J qF:=5:?8[ H96C6 A@=:46 36=:6G6 |4#26 7:C65 @?6 D9@E H9:=6 H2=<:?8 7C@> q6C<6J w2== E@ E96 F?:@?]k^Am
kAm|$& A@=:46 2=D@ :?E6CG:6H65 3J A9@?6 @? u63] ag 2 sF?92>’D 6>A=@J66 H9@ =6E |4#26 :? E96 32E9C@@> @? u63] `b]k^Am
kAm$96 56D4C:365 9:> 2D “?@C>2=” 3FE E96? H6?E @? E@ 56D4C:36 9:> 2D “>2J36 2 =:EE=6 D=@H[ 92?5:42AA65[” E96 C6A@CE D2JD] !C6DD65 E@ 6IA=2:?[ D96 D2:5 E92E 96 DA@<6 E@ 96C :? 2 “56=2J65” >2??6C]k^Am
kAm“$96 25565 D96 925 2? ‘66C:6’ 766=:?8 H96? D96 D2H 9:D A:4EFC6 @? %' 2?5 E9@F89E :E H2D E96 A6CD@? D96 =6E FD6 E96 C6DEC@@>[” 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 A@=:46 C6A@CE]k^Am
k9C ^m
kAmU4@AJja_ab k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^HHH]56EC@:E?6HD]4@>QmHHH]56EC@:E?6HD]4@>k^2m] ':D:E 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]56EC@:E?6HD]4@>Qm56EC@:E?6HD]4@>k^2m] s:DEC:3FE65 3J %C:3F?6 r@?E6?E p86?4J[ {{r]k^Am
