EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan State University community came together to honor the three lives lost when a man opened fire on campus three years ago.
Arielle Anderson, Brian Fraiser, and Alexandria Verner were killed in that tragic shooting.
Since then, the school has made several changes, including active violence response training, new door locks, and the creation of a security operations center.
Classes were canceled today so students could access on-campus mental health services.
Students say it helps to come together with their classmates during times like this.
“Everybody has a really different experience that night, and it still lingers, so it’s great that we have this day, even a couple of years later, to remember, but that stuff doesn’t really go away,” said a student.
“I think being around people that felt the same way just gives you an extra sense of community and love that I think is necessary,” another student said.
The school hopes to have a permanent memorial built on campus by the end of the fall.
The memorial will feature a granite fountain, benches, and landscaping, and it’ll be located where the former horticulture garden used to be.
Students played a big role in picking the design — they voted on several options through multiple surveys.