Michigan State settles with families of students killed in Feb. 13 campus shooting
EAST LANSING — The Michigan State University Board of Trustees said Friday it has settled with the families of students killed Feb. 13.
The board voted unanimously voted on the agreements with the families of Alexandria Verner, Arielle Anderson and Brian Fraser, who were killed in the Feb. 13 mass shooting on campus. Verner and Anderson were in the same classroom in Berkey Hall. Fraser was shot and killed in first-floor kitchen area of the MSU Union.
MSU did not disclose the terms of the settlement, but an attorney for Verner's family said in a release the family agreed to a $5 million settlement.
"While no amount of compensation can ever replace the loss of a life, we do hope this brings some closure, support and relief to these impacted families," Republican trustee Dan Kelly said during Friday's board meeting. "The university gives its deepest condolences to each of the three families, and we are committed to ensuring the memory of their child is not forgotten in the Spartan community."
Five other students were wounded in the attack.
The Verner family attorney, David Femminineo, announced a news conference for noon Friday in Mount Clemens.
"This case was never about blaming Michigan State University for the tragic events of 2/13/23," Femminineo said in the press release. "From the outset the discussions with MSU General Counsel Brian Quinn centered around how MSU can support the Verner family moving forward beyond 2/13/23. The Verner family did not seek to blame MSU for the death of their daughter. Instead, the Verner family has sought answers as to how this could be prevented in the future."
Femminineo said that the Verner Family will now "begin to heal and to promote the legacy of Alex so that Alex can act as an example for future students moving forward." The settlement will allow the family to increase Alexandria's scholarship fund and enables the family to continue her legacy.
Board of Trustees chair Rema Vassar declined to comment on the amount MSU agreed on to settle with the families, but spokesperson Emily Guerrant said she acknowledged the $5 million deal with the Verner family.
In a court filing earlier this year that could have led to litigation against MSU, Femminineo argued that in addition to the lack of door locks and adequate video surveillance at the Union and Berkey Hall, he cited several factors that created "dangerous or defective" conditions on campus.
The university lacked armed security in Berkey Hall or the Union, as well as metal detectors or security stations to check for weapons, according to the filing. Emergency alerts sent out about the shooting were delayed or inefficient, and access to buildings wasn't secured.
Several victims who survived the shooting filed notices of intent to sue MSU.
Memorials are planned, said interim president Teresa Woodruff, and events will be held the week of Feb. 13. More information will be released to the public after Jan. 1, but the planning process is ongoing.
Contact Sarah Atwood at satwood@lsj.com, or follow her on X (formerly Twitter) @sarahmatwood
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Michigan State settles with families of students killed in mass shooting
