A survivor and the families of two victims who were fatally wounded in the Michigan State University shootings last February have taken the first step toward filing a lawsuit against the school. They say MSU failed to fix problems that could have helped protect students.
MSU was served with a notice of intent to sue. It’s a legal requirement before the case is allowed to proceed. It can also set the stage for settlement negotiations. The notice says MSU officials knew about, but did nothing to fix, security risks in the buildings where the shootings occurred.
MSU was served with the notice by the families of Arielle Anderson and Brian Fraser, who were both killed, and by Hanyang Tao, who survived but was seriously injured. This brings to seven the number of plaintiffs with MSU shooting-related actions filed with the Michigan Court of Claims.
The filing said the “defects constituted a dangerous or defective condition on the premises” that MSU could have addressed.
The notice went on to describe a lengthy list of complaints alleging MSU failed to have safeguards in place to address an active shooter on campus. It says MSU failed to have an emergency alert system, the ability to remotely lock all doors on campus, and being able to lock doors from the inside in the buildings where the shootings occurred. Also, that some faculty complained the campus was unprepared to deal with an active shooter.
In a statement, MSU said it’s engaged in conversations with families “to identify ways to provide ongoing support” and “is committed to keeping those lines of communication open.”
“We are heartbroken and sorry for the tragic loss of life and each person harmed by senseless gun violence,” said the statement from MSU spokesperson Dan Olsen.
(WKAR’s Arjun Thakkar contributed to this report)
