EAST LANSING, Mich. — In East Lansing, crowds gathered on Tuesday night to remember the victims of a mass shooting on the campus of Michigan State University.
Thanks to police scanner recordings, we are learning that as the shooting was wreaking havoc, police did their best to remain calm and help save lives.
Scanner: "I have shots fired complaint at Berkey Hall. 509 East Circle, 509 East Circle. Multiple callers calling it in right now."
Police scanner traffic indicated there was a problem at Michigan State University. The shooter entered Berkey Hall, an active shooter randomly picking his victims.
Scanner: "I have a victim who's with a victim on the phone. There is multiple victims in room 114."
Students were immediately notified to lockdown. "Run. Hide. Fight."
Scanner: "They do have the door barricaded. There is someone in 135 shot as well."
Some were getting a glimpse of the masked suspect.
Scanner: "We are advising that the shooter is in the hallway, still trying to get description."
Police say surveillance cameras captured the shooter wearing a ski mask and jean jacket. He was later identified as 43-year-old Anthony McRae, who had no connection to anyone at the university.
Scanner: "Reference the union last report, suspect first-floor cafeteria north end."
The shooter, McRae, was making his way to MSU's student union. As the students run to save their ives, behind the scene police are calmly working to save them.
Scanner: "I'm coming down stairwell 17 with seven people."
Three students were killed 20-year-old Brian Fraser, 20-year-old Alexandria Verner, and 19-year-old Arielle Diamond Anderson. Five others were wounded. No one will really know why because the shooter killed himself.
The shooting happened the day before the fifth anniversary of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting that killed 17 and is the latest in what has become a deadly new year in the U.S.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.