Two years ago today at Michigan State University, a gunman killed three students and wounded several others. As the university marks the anniversary, it is also facing a new lawsuit over the shooting.
In an online post, MSU said that campus is open today, but most classes will not meet. The university said spaces would be provided for people to "gather, reflect and grieve." Classes are scheduled to resume Friday, but students will not have assignments due or any exams that day.
On Wednesday, a former student filed a lawsuit against MSU saying the shooting was "entirely preventable" and accusing the school of gross negligence. In the suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in the Western District of Michigan, Justin Bowman's attorneys say their client was in a classroom where several other students were shot.
The suit describes the moments during and after the shooting and says Bowman played dead to protect himself. It also notes Bowman has suffered lasting effects, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
The defendants named in the suit include the university, its board of trustees, former MSU Interim President Teresa Woodruff, MSU Police and Public Safety, and a number of others.
In late 2023, MSU reached a $15-million settlement with the families of Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraser, and Alexandria Verner, the three students who died in the attack.
