Who is Megan Bender? Anthony McRae's neighbor reveals MSU gunman fired shots outside of his own home over summer
LANSING, MICHIGAN: Neighbors of alleged Michigan State University gunman Anthony McRae have claimed they heard him fire shots outside of his house multiple times, reports have said. McRae, 43, killed himself hours after the shooting that left three dead and five in critical condition. The deceased have been identified as Brian Fraser, a sophomore, and Alexandria Verner, a junior, and Arielle Anderson, a junior.
Authorities said that McRae's motive is unknown and that he had no affiliation with the university. He was neither a student nor a staff, said Chris Rozman, interim deputy chief of the Michigan State University Police, according to NBC News. McRae's father, Michael McRae, also said he did not know why his son targeted the campus but believes he may have been trying to apply for a job there. Now Megan Bender, who lives near the McRaes' home, said the gunman had apparently fired shots outside of his own home several times over the summer.
READ MORE
At least 3 dead and multiple injured in shooting at Michigan State University
Who is Megan Bender?
Not much is known about the McRaes' neighbor Megan Bender, 34, except that she lives with her husband and three children just up Howe Street. “He was firing a firearm out of the back door of the house into the yard,” Bender said, according to NBC News. “We’re right in the city. You shouldn't be firing a firearm in the middle of the city,” she added.
“The neighbors called the cops on him,” she said, according to Mlive. “It was like over the summer because he was firing out the back door of the house.” She also claimed that the cops came but “didn’t do anything.” Another unnamed neighbor said Michael told him his son would get annoyed with the family dogs and would fire shots to quiet them.
Did Anthony McRae have a history of violence?
Back in June 2019, McRae was found by Lansing Police, sitting on the back steps of a building as he smoked a cigarette. The police were patrolling the area due to a number of burglaries that had been reported. “You got any weapons on you, or anything like that?” an officer asked, approaching McRae. He admitted that he did and police subsequently found a Ruger LCP .380 semi-automatic pistol in his pants pocket, court records stated.
Originally, McRae was charged with a felony, carrying a concealed weapon, which has a maximum penalty of five years behind bars. McRae was also charged with a misdemeanor, possession of a loaded firearm in or upon a vehicle. This could have been punishable by up to two years in jail but he was sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to the misdemeanor, and eventually discharged in May 2021.
After the shooting at MSU, his father said he did not know where McRae got the firearm or what he needed it for. He said he told his son, "We don’t need no guns in this house." McRae, Michael said, told him he would get rid of the gun. However, he never let his father enter his room in the house they shared in Lansing, Michigan. "I said, 'I hope you got rid of that gun, man.' And he said, 'Yeah, I got rid of it. I got rid it'. He didn’t."
Michael said he learned that his son went on a killing spree after local police and the FBI arrived at his home the same day. "Wow, oh my God," he said, adding, "I really don’t believe it, but I know it’s true." Michael said McRae never had a history of violence. "He wasn't like that," he said, adding, "He was no danger to nobody like that. He never did anything crazy like this."
Anthony McRae's threatening note
It has now been reported that McRae had written a threatening note suggesting he could also attack two schools in New Jersey, New York Post reported. This prompted a township to shut down all its public schools on Tuesday, February 14. The threat for Ewing, near Trenton, came to light after McRae was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“When McRae was found by police in Michigan, he had a note in his pocket that indicated a threat to two Public Schools,” the Township of Ewing Police Department said. However, it did not elaborate on the exact nature of the threat.
“Out of an abundance of caution, the Ewing Public Schools were closed for the day,” the force said, adding that officers were “stationed at each closed public school” and private ones in the township. Police said the alleged shooter had “local ties to Ewing”, and “a history of mental health issues."