Update: Two of the three students killed have been identified. Our original story continues below.
The tip that led police to the gunman behind a deadly mass shooting at Michigan State University's East Lansing campus came just minutes after authorities release a surveillance image of the suspect, police revealed.
"We had MSU Police and Public Safety investigators reviewing surveillance footage, and they quickly determined that we had a picture of the suspect, and we quickly disseminated that publicly," Deputy Chief Chris Rozman said during a press conference Tuesday morning. "It was shortly after we released it, that he was recognized by an alert citizen."
The tip ultimately led police to discover the suspect dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. According to officials, his body was discovered off-campus just before midnight Eastern Time.
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Authorities commended the caller who sent in the tip in such a short time frame.
"That was exactly what we were trying to achieve by releasing that picture was to generate immediate tips for this person that was mobile that we had no idea where he was at that point," Rozman said.
The suspect was identified as 43-year-old Anthony Dwayne McRae. Police were still searching for a motive behind the shooting Tuesday and said he was not affiliated with the school in any way.
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"We have absolutely no information right now on what the motive is. And I can't even begin to imagine what that motive would be," Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Michigan Office Jim Tarasca said. "That will obviously be part of our investigation. I know that that is going to be a question that lingers on everybody's mind. We will do our best to determine that but at this time we have, we have no idea."
The eight victims who were shot, three of them fatally, were all students, authorities said Tuesday.
"We can confirm that all three of the deceased were MSU students," Rozman said. "We can also confirm at this time that all five of the injured victims at the hospital were also MSU students."
In an emotional Tuesday morning update, Sparrow Hospital Interim President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Danny Martin relayed that four of the wounded required surgery, and all five victims remain in critical condition.
"This is something we've talked about this morning, that we practice for very often, but never want to have to do," Martin said, holding back tears.
Names of the victims are expected be released later Tuesday, officials said.
The shooting began at approximately 8:18 p.m. Monday night at Berkey Hall, an academic building on campus, with multiple 911 calls placed from that location. Police later said that two victims were killed in that building.
Although police responded quickly to the scene, the gunman made his way to the Michigan State University Union, a popular gathering spot for students to eat or study. More victims were shot there, and at least one died from their injuries, officials said.
"This truly has been a nightmare that we are living tonight, but we have remained laser focused on the safety of our campus, our students and the surrounding community. We are relieved to no longer have an active threat on campus, while we realize that there [will be] so much healing that will need to take place after this," Rozman said during a press conference Monday.
Officials went on to say that the ongoing investigation into the incident is in its early stages, and that the department expects to share more information as it becomes available.
Michigan State has about 50,000 students, including 19,000 who live on campus. All classes, sports and other activities have been canceled for 48 hours.
Interim university President Teresa Woodruff said it would be a time “to think and grieve and come together.”
“This Spartan community — this family — will come back together,” Woodruff said.
