EAST LANSING, Mich. – Michigan State University mistakenly sent out an “active violence” alert to thousands of people on Tuesday, almost exactly three years after the deadly 2023 shooting on campus.
At 10:51 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, a text message was sent out that read, “MSU: EMERGENCY! ACTIVE VIOLENCE INCIDENT at the Michigan State University East Lansing campus. Avoid the area. Monitor alert.msu.edu for info."
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Shortly afterward, at 10:53 a.m., a follow-up message said, “The recent MSU Alert was sent in error. Please disregard the message. We regret any undue stress caused. Visit alert.msu.edu to learn more."
An email version of the alert had the subject line, “Advisory: [DRILL] EMERGENCY! EAST LANSING ACTIVE VIOLENCE INCIDENT!” But the “drill” portion was not included in the text message.
It appears anyone who clicked the link in the alert would have been taken to a web page that included the “[DRILL]” designation.
Three Michigan State students were killed and five others were injured on Feb. 13, 2023, when a gunman opened fire inside two campus buildings.
Michigan State is planning a commemoration for Friday, including a day of service for campus community members, a resource tent with luminary kits, and a remembrance concert. You can click here to view the full page.
"Community members may choose to gather in remembrance of those we lost, those injured and all those impacted at any of resource and support locations, outside the impacted buildings, in front of Beaumont Tower, at any other space that feels meaningful to them or follow the live stream from a comforting location of their choosing," the page says.
The university will remain open to support students, but most classes will not be held Friday, according to the page.