THE PEOPLE INJURED, 175.
WE'VE SPOKEN WITH STUDENTS AND
FAMILIES HERE IN EAST LANSING
TODAY.
HERE'S WHAT SOME STUDENTS TOLD
US ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCE THAT'S
BEEN SOMETHING ALL TOO FAMILIAR
FOR THEIR GENERATION.
>> THREE PEOPLE IN MY FAMILY.
THAT'S THREE PEOPLE WHO I CARE
ABOUT.
THAT'S THREE PEOPLE WHO WHOSE
EXTENDED
EXTENDED FAMILY AREN'T GOING TO
SEE THEM ANYMORE.
AT THIS POINT, I THINK ALL OF US
ARE NUMB TO THE WHOLE SITUATION.
WE HAVE LIVED THIS OUR ENTIRE
LIVES.
IT SHOULDN'T BE THAT WE ARE
HAVING TO PROTECT OURSELVES BY
BARRICADING DOORS, HIDING IN
BASEMENTS.
WE HAVE TO BE CALLING OUR LOVED
ONES AND NOT WANTING TO HANG UP
THE PHONE BECAUSE WE'RE NOT SURE
IF IT'S THE LAST TIME WE'LL TALK
TO THEM.
>> Reporter: SEPARATELY, WE MET
A FAMILY, TWO PARENTS, WHO CAME
TO BE WITH THEIR DAUGHTER TODAY
TO TAKE HER HOME WITH THEM SO
SHE COULD GET AWAY FROM THIS FOR
SOME TIME AT LEAST.
THE MOTHER MADE A POINT THAT
JUST STAYS WITH YOU AND IT'S
JUST A REMINDER OF WHAT WAS LOST
HERE.
SHE WAS ABLE TO COME HERE TO BE
WITH HER DAUGHTER TO HOPEFULLY
COMFORT HER DAUGHTER AND TAKE
HER HOME AND CARE FOR HER FOR A
WHILE, BUT AS THE MOTHER POINTED
OUT, THERE ARE THREE FAMILIES,
THREE SETS OF PARENTS, WHO
CANNOT DO THAT FOR THEIR
CHILDREN BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN
HAVE BEEN KILLED.
>> SO TIRED OF TALKING ABILITYOU
THESE STORIES AND HEARING ABOUT
THESE FAMILIES WHO WILL NEVER BE
THE SAME AND EXPLANATIONS DON'T
REALLY MATTER HERE, TOM.
YOU CAN EXPLAIN IT AWAY, BUT
IT'S STILL HAPPENS.
THE INVESTIGATION IS STILL
ONGOING WITH THIS GUY, OUT OF
THE PATTERN WE NORMALLY SEE.
OLDER MAN, 43-YEAR-OLD.
NOT AFFILIATED WDITH THE
UNIVERSITY.
>> TYPICALLY, YOU AND I HAVE
DISCUSSED THIS TOO MANY TIMES.
USUALLY WE HAVE SOMEBODY WHO'S A
STUDENT OR WENT TO A SCHOOL OR
HAS SOME SORT OF TIES TO THE
CRIME.
TO THE MASS SHOOTING.
WE DON'T INITIALLY SEE THAT
HERE.
TO YOUR POINT, HE IS DECEASED,
SO THAT MAKES MOTIVE A LITTLE
MORE DIFFICULT.
I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THEY
MIGHT LOOK AT IS ACCORDING TO
OUR COLLEAGUES AT NBCNEWS.COM,
HE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A GUN ON
HIM IN 2019.
ADMITTED TO IT.
ORIGINALLY CHARGED WITH A
FELONY.
IF IN FACT, PLED TO A
MISDEMEANOR OF HAVING A GUN ON
HIM.
IF THE CASE HAD GONE FORWARD,
WOULD HAVE BEEN ILLEGAL FOR HIM
TO POSSESS THIS GUN OR OBTAIN
ONE, ACCORDING TO MICHIGAN LAW.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MIGHT BE
LOOKED AT AS TO WHY THAT FELONY
CHARGE WAS KNOCKED DOWN TO A
MISDEMEANOR.
UNDOUBTEDLY PEOPLE INVOLVED IN
THAT CASE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT
THAT AS WELL.
AS FAR AS OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES
THAT MIGHT TIE INTO THIS, IT'S
DIFFICULT TO SAY AT THIS POINT
WHY HE CHOSE THAT SCHOOL
ALTHOUGH HE DID POSSESS A NOTE
AND CONCEIVABLY INVESTIGATORS
WILL PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION
ABOUT THAT IN DAYS TO COME AND
WHETHER OR NOT HE SPOKE
SPECIFICALLY.
>> HE WAS POTENTIALLY TARGETING
A NEW JERSEY SCHOOL?
>> IN THE NOTE, HE HAD A
REFERENCE TO NEW JERSEY.
THE POLICE CHIEF PUT OUT A
LETTER TODAY TO THE COMMUNITY
THAT CANCELED CLASS.
APPARENTLY NO SORT OF TIE TO
THAT COMMUNITY CURRENTLY.
THEY DID NOTE HE HAD A HISTORY
OF MENTAL ILLNESS.
SPEAKS TO WHY HE WAS IN
POSSESSION OF THIS PARTICULAR
GUN AT THIS TIME OR IN
POSSESSION OF ONE BACK IN 2019.
DID ANYBODY THROW A FLAG ON
THAT?
MICHIGAN DID THROW LAWS THAT
WOULD PROHIBIT SOMEBODY WHO
COULD BE A DANGER TO THEMSELVES.
APPARENTLY, THERE WAS A THREAT