Two weeks after a mass shooting at Michigan State University, state lawmakers began mulling gun safety measures including universal background checks, safe storage and ‘red flag’ laws
Isabel Lohman
Isabel Lohman reports on early childhood, K-12 and higher education for Bridge Michigan, tracking how policies made in Lansing affect students and educators. She has closely reported on literacy, absenteeism and special education. Isabel was a finalist for the Society of Professional Journalists Detroit's 2026 Young Journalist of the Year award. Before joining Bridge, she covered children's issues for the Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee, reporting on COVID-19 in schools and communities coping with gun violence.
Isabel grew up outside of Chicago and has a bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri. She moved to Ann Arbor in 2022.
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Classroom locks, active intruder training promised after MSU shootings
Interim President Teresa Woodruff announced a series of future security upgrades on Wednesday that range from restricting public access to buildings to school-wide training sessions following a deadly mass shooting Feb. 13.
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MSU shooting: fourth victim identified, discharged from hospital
Troy Forbush of Okemos publicly identified himself as one of the five MSU students critically injured in a mass shooting on the East Lansing campus two weeks ago. He is the first of the five to be released from the hospital, according to his Facebook page.
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Michigan student loan forgiveness: What to know as Supreme Court steps in
The high court will hear oral arguments Tuesday on challenges to President Biden’s loan forgiveness program, which aims to cancel up to $20,000 in college debt for individual students. Critics say Biden went beyond his executive authority.
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Michigan State shooting: third victim identified, in critical condition
Nate Statly is a 2020 graduate of Hartland Community Schools in Livingston County. He remains in critical condition.
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MSU returns to class with unease, determination and more empty seats
MSU students described their return to class Monday as anything but normal, yet many called it a necessary step in the long road back to normalcy. Some professors eased students slowly back into academic life, while others proceeded without change.
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Michigan State weighs security plan after rampage. Here are some options
MSU is conducting a security review over the coming months. It’s a debate that seeks to balance the openness of a large, public university with keeping students and staff safe. Here is how other colleges have tried to protect students.
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Michigan State students have thoughts on whether class Monday is too soon
MSU is set to resume classes Monday, a week after a deadly mass shooting. The student paper’s editorial board says that’s too soon, but not all students agree. MSU said it will reopen with an effort to show flexibility and empathy to students as they return.
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On Michigan State campus, fragile emotions and a fierce desire for support
Students say they are still processing the terror of Monday. One said she feels like she can never again walk comfortably without looking over her shoulder. Experts say most students will show resilience, but want students and those who love them to monitor their progress.
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Thousands mourn at Michigan State vigil: ‘Those kids didn’t have to die.’
A massive crowd turns out to honor the dead and pray for change after a gunman kills three and critically injures five. ‘I’m tired of people dying for no reason,’ one says