LANSING, Mich. — Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks said the Michigan Senate will be "taking action soon" on gun control measures that include, at a minimum, safe storage laws, tougher universal background checks and red flag laws.
Brinks, a Grand Rapids Democrat whose daughter is a Michigan State University student, said she watched news of Monday night's deadly shooting unfold with "dread and horror" in a campus community "where they should feel safe."
"But today, I'm more than just a mom," Brinks said in a press conference Tuesday. "And I know we have a responsibility.
"... We will be introducing common-sense legislation and we are prepared to get the job done," Brinks said of the Senate's new Democratic majority.
Brinks' comments came hours after a suspected gunman killed three students and wounded five others on the campus of Michigan State University and about 15 months after four students were killed in a shooting at Oxford High School.
The shootings at Michigan State occurred Monday night, forcing students to shelter in place and bringing dozens of police vehicles and ambulances to the East Lansing campus. The suspect, Anthony McRae, was eventually located off campus and died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, said MSU police Interim Deputy Chief Chris Rozman.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, an MSU alumna, on Tuesday urged action to curb gun violence, concluding her remarks to the press by saying, "We must act and we will." Whitmer called the issue of gun violence a "uniquely American problem."
"We're all broken by an all-too-familiar feeling," Whitmer said in a Tuesday morning press conference. "Another place that is supposed to be about community and togetherness shattered by bullets and bloodshed."
House Speaker Joe Tate, a Detroit Democrat and former MSU football team captain, said the people who elected lawmakers "have no patience for inaction."
"We can continue to debate the reasons for gun violence in America, or we can act," Tate said Tuesday in a statement. "We cannot continue to do the same thing over and over again and hope for a different outcome. ... I have no understanding left for those in a position to effect change who are unwilling to act."
As of Tuesday afternoon, the House and Senate were expected to meet Wednesday for session after canceling Tuesday sessions. The Capitol is about four miles from Berkey Hall, where the suspected gunman initially opened fire.
McRae, according to court records, was given a plea deal in 2019 that allowed him to plead down from carrying a concealed pistol without a concealed carry permit — a 5-year felony — to possession of a loaded firearm in a vehicle — a 2-year high court misdemeanor. He served 18 months of probation that he completed in May 2021.
Ingham County Prosecutor John Dewane argued the sentencing guidelines for either charge likely would have led to a sentencing recommendation that fell short of jail or prison.
But McRae's plea deal prompted some to call for better enforcement of existing firearm laws before pushing for additional regulation.
Great Lakes Gun Rights criticized the immediate push for additional gun regulation and urged Michigan residents to demand their lawmakers "oppose all gun control efforts."
"Handgun registration laws and 'gun-free' zones didn't stop this evil madman, and they won't stop another one in the future," said Brenden Boudreau, executive director for Great Lakes Gun Rights. "More gun control in Michigan will leave law-abiding citizens helpless when they need to defend themselves and others."
Whitmer, a Democrat, has previously called for universal background check requirements for people who want to buy firearms, a safe storage standard for guns in the home and "extreme risk" protection orders, also known as a red flag law, to allow guns to be taken away from people deemed a risk to themselves and others. Gun rights advocates have countered that red flag laws fail to deliver on what advocates promised they would do and don't get to the core of the problem.
Democrats called for similar reforms after the 2021 killing of four students at Michigan's Oxford High School. However, Republicans who controlled the House and Senate blocked votes on the measures.
Democrats took control of the state Legislature in January for the first time in nearly four decades and have suggested they will emphasize the gun-related policies this term.
Sen. Rosemary Bayer, D-Keego Harbor, whose district included Oxford High School at the time of the 2021 shooting, said officials have been working in violence intervention programs and with stakeholders such as law enforcement, medical professionals, prosecutors and school administrators to shape legislation.
But Bayer acknowledged officials don't have enough information yet about what transpired at MSU to say "whether any specific legislation or set of legislation would have prevented it."
"It's almost certainly true that if we're going to change the trajectory here — what we're seeing with gun violence last night and Oxford and every day in some of our communities around this state — we need legislation" with various solutions, Bayer said.
Bayer said she's hopeful for Republican support for common sense measures and has received some indications of as much.
Senate Minority Leader Aric Nesbitt, R-Porter Township, said his "heart breaks" for victims and families.
"Unfortunately, these unimaginable and irrational acts of evil have become more commonplace in our society, leaving parents and community leaders desperately searching for ways to prevent these senseless attacks on the innocent," Nesbitt said. "It is my hope that we can come together to find and develop solutions to keep our loved ones safe."
Attorney General Dana Nessel said the events at Michigan State University were "a tragedy for the entire state of Michigan."
"I want to thank everyone in law enforcement who worked to secure the campus and protect the community," Nessel said. "I am hopeful that the investigation reveals how we can better protect our children, our neighbors and all those who call Michigan home."
