LANSING, Mich. — Activists gathered in Lansing Monday morning to call for stricter gun laws a week after the fatal mass shooting at Michigan State University.
The press conference was hosted by Dr. Pamela L. Pugh, president of the Michigan State Board of Education. Speakers included state politicians, former Oxford High School teacher Olivia Upham and March For Our Lives co-founder David Hogg.
"We are not asking, we are demanding that policy be made to protect our children," Pugh said.
"The time is now for us to act in a bipartisan way."
The shooting happened on Feb. 13 when a 43-year-old gunman opened fire in Berkey Hall and the MSU Union, killing three students and injuring five others. This is the second mass school shooting in Michigan in 14 months.
Two students remain in critical condition at Sparrow Hospital. Two are in serious but stable condition. One student has been upgraded to fair condition.
The three students killed—20-year-old Brian Fraser, 19-year-old Arielle Anderson and 20-year-old Alexandria Verner—were laid to rest on Saturday.
Since then, students and activists have called for gun legislation to prevent mass shootings, including universal background checks and safe gun storage requirements.
A sit-in at the state capitol was held Wednesday, two days after the shooting. Current and former MSU students were among the protesters.
While classes and sporting events have resumed at MSU, many students called for remote or hybrid learning options for the rest of the semester. In an editorial called “We’re not going to class Monday”, student newspaper The State News said more time is needed before returning to campus.
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