US: Michigan State University gunman carried list of places where he might have felt slighted, police say

Authorities in Michigan are still looking into the possible motives of the man responsible for opening fire at Michigan State University this week. Police said the gunman carried with him a list of places where he may have felt slighted.

On Thursday, Michigan authorities said the gunman, Anthony Dwayne McRae, who killed three students and wounded five others, carried with him a note that mentioned places where he might have felt slighted. During a news conference, authorities stressed that they have yet to determine what caused McRae to open fire in two buildings on the university’s main campus and then kill himself hours later after he was tracked by the police. The police did not say whether the university was one of the places mentioned in the note.

Authorities also said they are trying to determine whether mental illness played a part in the tragic incident. McRae has no known connection to the university.

“That is obviously something we are going to look at. In hindsight, judging what mental illness someone has is very difficult without some type of former diagnosis,” said Michigan state interim deputy police chief Chris Rozman. “Obviously in this case there appears to be indications that may be the case.”

Authorities found two pages of notes on McRae that listed two public schools in New Jersey and the names of a warehouse where he worked, a church, and other places where he may have felt slighted. Two bus tickets were also found on McRae.

“So it looks like possibly a motive for that – he just felt slighted – and that’s what we’re dealing with,” said Michigan State Police Lieutenant Rene Gonzalez.

Meanwhile, the father of the accused July 4 gunman was arraigned in court on charges of helping his underage son, Robert Crimo III, obtained a gun that was used to kill seven people during a Fourth of July parade in Chicago, even as there are signs that the gunman was mentally disturbed.

Robert Crimo Jr. appeared in the Lake County Circuit Court before Judge George Strickland, where he was read the seven counts of reckless conduct that were recommended in a grand jury indictment.

Robert Crimo Jr. faces up to 21 years in prison if found guilty of all charges and is expected to reappear in court on April 4.