Michigan State University is reeling from an attack at its campus library, with a hate crime investigation underway following Monday's assault. MSU police reported that two individuals were targeted and beaten by a group of suspects believed to be motivated by the victim's sexual orientation. The violent incident, which unfolded around 5:45 p.m. at the MSU Library located at 366 W. Circle Drive, has left the university community in shock.
According to the MSU police alerts, witnessed by WWJ Newsradio, officers responded to an aggravated assault call at approximately 5:50 p.m. The attackers, described as a group of "approximately five suspects," reportedly singled out the victims because of a perceived bias against the perpetrator’s sexual orientation.
No arrests have been made yet, and the suspects' descriptions have been released to the public in hopes of aiding the investigation. The five suspects are all described as teenage Black males, varying in attire from khaki shorts and a Mountain Dew t-shirt to a white hooded sweatshirt with black pants, as detailed by multiple sources, including CBS News Detroit and The State News.
Following the incident, MSU officials, including MSU Spokesperson Emily Guerrant, were quick to reassure the public that campus safety was a top priority. "We don't want any type of violence happening on our campus," Guerrant said, per The State News. "We want anyone who’s on our campus to feel safe while they're here, whether that's because they're a student, or because they're a visitor on campus using the library. It’s important people feel safe at MSU."
Authorities are urging witnesses or anyone with information to step forward and contact the MSU Police at 517-355-2221. Community support has been mobilized, with the MSU Gender and Sexuality Campus Center and the Office of Cultural and Academic Transitions providing resources for members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community and Black students, who are feeling the profound impact of the crime. In their time of need, the university's message is clear: violence will not be tolerated, and the well-being of all Spartans is non-negotiable.
