Prosecutors dismissed felony gun charges against the alleged Michigan State University attacker in 2019, charging him with a misdemeanor. The felony charge was the result of Anthony McRae allegedly carrying a concealed firearm on his person without having a concealed carry permit.
The Detroit News reported that the misdemeanor charges placed the alleged attacker on probation for a total of 18 months. Had the felony charges been pursued, the attacker would have been barred from gun possession for life. But the ban on buying and possessing a gun was only temporary in light of the misdemeanor probation.
The Detroit Free Press noted
Dewane also noted, “[The alleged attacker] would have been barred from legally purchasing, owning, or possessing a firearm if he would have been convicted of the (concealed weapons) charge.”
Ingham County prosecutor John Dewane said, “The misdemeanor conviction did not prevent him from purchasing, owning, or possessing a firearm after he successfully completed his terms of probation.”
The alleged attacker’s probation ended in May 2021.
In an earlier report, Breitbart News indicated that police said the alleged attacker had no connection to Michigan State University and that law enforcement does not know what his motive was.
A statement by the Ingham Prosecutor John J. Dewane was provided regarding the criminal history of the MSU alleged shooter:
Our office has been requested to provide information on the deceased gunman, Anthony McRae. In the interest of transparency, I am releasing information pertaining to the only case that the Ingham County Prosecutor’s Office has handled.
In 2019, Anthony McRae was contacted by police. During the investigation, he was searched by police and found to be in possession of a handgun that was legally registered to him. At the time, he did not have a concealed carry permit as required by law. As a result, he was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a felony punishable by up to five years.
On October 24, 2019, Mr. McRae entered a guilty plea to an added Count 2: Possession of a Loaded Firearm in or upon a Vehicle, a High Court Misdemeanor punishable by up to two years. On November 26, 2019, Mr. McRae was sentenced to 12 months probation with terms set by the 30th Circuit Court. On May 14, 2021, after successfully completing all terms of his probation, Mr. McRae was successfully discharged from probation.
Any offender who is convicted and facing sentencing in Michigan is provided a Sentence Guideline (SGL) score during their pre-sentence investigation. The SGL score provides the court with guidance for a sentence recommendation. It is a routine matter in nearly all criminal cases that the recommended sentence is not the same as the legal maximum. Even if he were convicted by a jury of the original charge, Anthony McRae would not have been recommended for a jail or prison sentence. The sentencing guideline score would have been the same if he had been convicted of either the original charge (Carrying a Concealed Weapon) or the offense for which he was convicted (carrying a firearm in a vehicle).
School shootings are becoming far too common in our State. The proliferation of guns in our cities and neighborhoods endangers us all. We support Governor Whitmer and our local representatives’ calls for action. It is time to address gun violence in this state and the gun laws that allow for it to continue, time and time again.
