(WWJ) - Officials said the families of the three students killed in the shooting at Michigan State in February have reached a settlement with the university.
The family of Alexandria Verner, along with their lawyer David Femminineo, spoke about the settlement earlier today. The family reached a $5 million settlement with the university, officials said.
“While no amount of compensation can ever replace the loss of a life, we do hope this brings some closure, support, and relief to these impacted families,” Trustee Dan Kelly said in a statement. “The university gives its deepest condolences to each of the three families, and we are committed to ensuring the memory of their child is not forgotten in the Spartan community.”
Verner’s family said the case wasn’t to blame the university for the shooting, but to have a focus on how to prevent future shootings.
“The Verner Family will make it their life’s work to make sure that the legacy of Alex Verner will never be forgotten and that her legacy will act as a lightning rod for change to prevent this from ever happening again,” Femminineo said in a statement earlier today.
Alexandria Verner, Arielle Anderson and Brian Fraser were shot and killed on Feb. 13 by 43-year-old Anthony McRae, who took his own life after the shooting.
Five other students were injured.
Following the shooting, the university announced they would be taking measures to increase the security of campus buildings. Included in the plan, was requiring key cards to be scanned to enter buildings between certain hours and updating the locks on doors.
“The university also remains committed to enhancing safety on campus and providing mental health support to our community as we continue to heal,” Kelly said. “We honor the memories of those we lost by working tirelessly to create an environment where safety and the well-being of our community is a top priority.”
The Verner family said they plan to use the settlement to expand the scholarship they founded in memory of Alexandria.
“With this resolution, Michigan State University has afforded the Verner family the ability to not only increase Alex’s scholarship fund but has also assured that her legacy will continue for years to come," Femminineo said.
Verner’s family is the only one to speak out so far about the details of their settlement.