BILD: Woke up the prosecutor who refused to jail or even ban the MSU gunman from buying a gun following his 2019 gun crime indictment
- Anthony McRae was charged with gun crimes in June 2019
- District Attorney Carol Siemon’s office lowered the offense to a misdemeanor
- It allowed him to buy guns after he was released from parole
The MSU gunman who killed three students in a senseless rampage on Monday should have been banned from buying guns after he was charged with a felony in 2019 – but an awakened prosecutor lowered the felony charge to a misdemeanor.
Anthony McRae, 43, was arrested in 2019 for having a loaded gun without a concealed carry permit.
He was charged with carrying a concealed weapon, a crime that would have prevented him from buying or owning other weapons if convicted.
Instead, the Ingham County Attorney’s Office — then headed by Carol Siemon — lowered the felony to a misdemeanor.
Anthony McRae, 43, was arrested in June 2019 for having a loaded gun and ammunition without a concealed carry permit. It should have stopped him from ever buying guns again – but the charge was reduced to a misdemeanor by Carole Siemon’s office
It remains unclear where and when McRae purchased the gun used in Monday’s attack, but he could not have done so legally if prosecutors had enforced the felony charge.
McRae instead received a plea deal that included no jail time.
He received a two-year suspended sentence from which he was released in 2021.
Police arrested McRae after finding him sitting and smoking on the steps of an abandoned building at 1:30 a.m. on June 7, 2019.
The officer asked him if he was carrying guns.
He told the officer he had a .380 semi-automatic pistol that was registered to him, but that he did not have a concealed carry permit.
Officers found the gun in his pants pocket, but also found a loaded magazine in his shirt pocket.
Siemon left office in late 2022. She has not commented on the decision to lower McRae’s charges
Siemon regularly spoke out against gun violence — but focused on strategies like investigating people who are cruel to animals
She frequently posted on her social media pages about the recall of rifles and semi-automatic weapons, and also campaigned on LGBTQ issues
Siemon did not immediately respond to ‘s questions about the decision Tuesday morning.
She was replaced as Ingham County’s attorney general last year.
During his tenure, Siemon regularly lobbied for stricter gun safety laws.
She frequently posted on her social media pages about the recall of rifles and semi-automatic weapons, and also campaigned on LGBTQ issues.
Ingham County’s new prosecutor, John Dewane, shared details of McRae’s plea deal yesterday amid mounting anger over the tragedy.
He said that McRae would never have gone to jail because a jury would have focused on his lack of other criminal history, but that the felony charge would have dissuaded him from owning a gun in the future.
Michigan AG Dana Nessel said yesterday that part of her investigation would involve how he was able to obtain a gun.
McRae killed himself Monday night before police could get to him.
Tributes on MSU campus Tuesday after the gunman killed three students and injured five others