Hartland Grad Permanently Injured in MSU Shooting Takes Legal Actions
June 14, 2023
April O'Neil / news@WHMI.com
A recent graduate of Hartland High School who was permanently injured in the February shooting at Michigan State University is taking steps toward suing the school.
MSU junior, Nathan Statly, was one of five students injured in the campus shooting on February 13th. Statly has suffered permanent injuries and is unable to speak, walk or eat whole foods, as of early June. Statly graduated from Hartland High School in 2020 as Magna Cum Laude. He went to MSU to study environmental biology and zoology.
Michigan State announced the school would cover the medical expenses of all students who were injured in the shooting.
On Friday, June 9th, attorneys representing Statly and fellow injured student, Troy Forbush, filed notices of injury and allegations of building defects at Berkey Hall. Forbush was shot in the chest and still struggles with lung injuries.
According to the Associated Press, the notices are required under Michigan law and would give Michigan State time to investigate before a lawsuit could be filed.
The document says easy access to buildings and a failure to improve security created a dangerous risk for injury.
Shooter Anthony McRae killed three students at Berkey Hall and the MSU Union before fleeing from the scene. McRae had no previous affiliation with Michigan State and was killed when confronted by police.
Michigan State says the school has installed locks so classroom doors can be locked from the inside, among other steps, to improve safety within campus buildings.
A link to Statly's GoFundMe page is provided below.