DETROIT (Scripps News Detroit) — Police bodycam footage shows an encounter that Lansing police had with the suspected Michigan State University gunman in 2019.
The video is from the night Anthony McRae was arrested for a felony gun charge and in this video he admits he knew he shouldn’t be carrying the gun outside of the home.
It shows the following exchange between an officer and McRae.
You got any weapons on your right now?
Huh?
You got any weapons on you or anything like that?
Yeah.
You got a weapon on you?
Yeah.
What do you have? Put your hands behind your back. Can you put your cigarette out?
The video shows a Lansing police officer questioning Anthony Dwayne McRae back in June of 2019. Police say McRae is the gunman who gunned down 8 Michigan State University students Monday night.
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Do you have a concealed carry permit?
I’m working on it.
The officer arrested McRae after he admitted he was carrying a weapon without a concealed carry permit.
I live right down the street man.
Right here? Is it your registered firearm?
Yeah registered.
Once he’s in the scout car, McRae reveals where he got the Ruger .380 gun.
Where’d you buy it at?
Suspect MSU gunman Anthony McRae is seen in a 2019 bodycam video during an encounter with Lansing police officers. (WXYZ)
The pawn shop right there.
Okay. How long ago did you buy it?
End of March.
How much did you buy it for?
$214.
You know you don’t got a permit for it?
No, but I’m working on it – I was working on.
Did you know you needed a permit to carry that 380?
Yeah, man yeah, but it’s late. I’m going to the store…
Why were you carrying it?
Protection. Protection man.
I get a pack of cigarettes, come here, smoke, turn my head, bring my little gun with me – I know I ain’t supposed to.
That felony charge was later pleaded down to a misdemeanor. McRae was sentenced to 18 months probation.
Now during that probation, he would not have been allowed to legally own a gun, but law enforcement officials tell me that once the probation ended, he would have been allowed to own a gun.
It’s not clear whether the gun seen here in this arrest is the same one that was used in the mass shooting.
This story was originally published Feb. 15 by WXYZ in Detroit, an E.W. Scripps Company.
