'F*** your thoughts and prayers': Michigan representative unleashes scathing reaction to MSU mass shooting, calls for more action

© Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK
LeAnn Espinoza of Rio Grande City, Texas breaks down in tears after leaving flowers at the base of the Sparty statue following an active shooting incident on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, that left three people dead and multiple injured. Espinoza said her friend was on one the students shot and in critical condition. \"It s like just the same cycle repeating. It s always thoughts and prayers and they forget until it happens again,\" said Espinoza. Photo credit © Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK

EAST LANSING (WWJ) - "Thoughts and prayers" -- it's a common phrase used by many in response to tragic events, including mass shootings, but one lawmaker in Michigan called the words "meaningless" after students in the state come under fire for the second time in 15 months.

Ranjeev Puri, the Democratic Majority Whip in the Michigan House of Representatives, posted an official statement to Twitter with his reaction to Monday's mass shooting at Michigan State University that killed three students and critically injured five more.

Puri started off the letter with a passionate and intense first sentence that summed up his feelings on the tragic events.

"F*** your thoughts and prayers," the representative wrote, not withholding his emotions.

Puri then went on to express his condolences to the Spartan community and all who were touched by the shooting, but sad enough is enough -- more must be done to address the "seemingly never-ending horrific cycle of gun violence."

"What happened in East Lansing is unfortunately far too common. Going to school in America, whether it’s pre-school or college, means risking your life everyday to the threat of a mass shooting," the state representative wrote. "Yet all we have offered up are empty solutions—traumatizing active shooter drills and bulletproof backapacks."

He went on to say "we do not need to live like this," and echoed the same sentiments provided by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Tuesday morning where she called mass shootings a "uniquely American problem."

Puri wrote that deadly mass shootings are so commonplace in the U.S. that Americans have grown "desensitized" to the violence.

People leave flowers at the base of the Sparty statue following an active shooting incident on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, that left three people dead and multiple injured.
People leave flowers at the base of the Sparty statue following an active shooting incident on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, that left three people dead and multiple injured. Photo credit © Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK
(Left to right) Michigan State University junior Tori VanSlambrouck of Kalamazoo is hugged by senior Alix Matzke of Cadillac and junior Emily Finkbeiner of Saline after they left flowers at the base of the Sparty statue following an active shooting incident on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, that left three people dead and multiple injured.
(Left to right) Michigan State University junior Tori VanSlambrouck of Kalamazoo is hugged by senior Alix Matzke of Cadillac and junior Emily Finkbeiner of Saline after they left flowers at the base of the Sparty statue following an active shooting incident on the Michigan State University campus in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, that left three people dead and multiple injured. Photo credit © Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK
Flowers seen at the base of \"The Rock\" on the campus of Michigan State University, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, to honor the victims of Monday's shooting on campus.
Flowers seen at the base of \"The Rock\" on the campus of Michigan State University, Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023, to honor the victims of Monday's shooting on campus. Photo credit © Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK
People get emotional during a vigil held at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, in memory of the students shot and killed during a mass shooting at Michigan State University.
People get emotional during a vigil held at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, in memory of the students shot and killed during a mass shooting at Michigan State University. Photo credit © Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK
People get emotional during a vigil held at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, in memory of the students shot and killed during a mass shooting at Michigan State University
People get emotional during a vigil held at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, in memory of the students shot and killed during a mass shooting at Michigan State University Photo credit © Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK
Lauren Enty of Lansing gets emotional while sitting with her husband Ben Rumbaugh of Lansing at the end of a vigil held at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, in memory of the students shot and killed during a mass shooting at Michigan State University
Lauren Enty of Lansing gets emotional while sitting with her husband Ben Rumbaugh of Lansing at the end of a vigil held at Eastminster Presbyterian Church in East Lansing on Tuesday, February 14, 2023, in memory of the students shot and killed during a mass shooting at Michigan State University Photo credit © Ryan Garza / USA TODAY NETWORK

"We are not even two full months into 2023, and this marks the 67th mass shooting of the year, along with over 2,215 mass shooting gun deaths," the state representative continued.

"Thoughts and prayers without action and change are meaningless," he added.

Puri joins a number of authorities in Michigan who expressed their anguish and anger over Monday's mass shooting. In addition to Whitmer, Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin — who represents Michigan's 8th congressional district to include Oxford, Mich. — also had harsh words during a press briefing on Tuesday morning.

"I cannot believe I am here again doing this 15 months later," Slotkin stated, referencing the deadly Oxford High School shooting in November of 2021.

"I am filled with rage that we have to have another press conference to talk about our children being killed in their schools and would say that you either care about protecting kids or you don't," Slotkin continued with intensity. "You either care about having an open, honest conversation about what is going on in our society or you don't, but please don't tell me you care about the safety of children if you're not willing to have a conversation about keeping them safe in a place that should be a sanctuary."

As Puri stated in his letter, both Whitmer and Slotkin said lawmakers must step up and address gun violence.

"As parents we tell our kids 'it's going to be OK.' We say that all the time, but the truth is words are not good enough," Whitmer said. "We must act and we will."

Puri finsihed off his letter on Twitter with the same solemn promise.

"We will not stop until our students can attend school without fear, our communities can attend places of worship in peace, and our society is safe from senseless gun violence," he wrote.

Michigan State Police identified the suspect shooter in Monday's tragedy as a 43-year-old Anthony McRae, a man with a previous gun violation and numerous run-ins with the law. The suspect was recognized by a concerned citizen after police released photos from campus surveillance footage, but McRae fatally shot himself when confronted by police about five miles from where the man shooting occurred.

MaRae sparked a nearly three-hour long manhunt after he stormed into two academic buildings and open fired at random. Three students, identified as Brian Fraser, age 20, a sophomore from Grosse Pointe; Alexandria Verner, age 20, a junior from Clawson; Arielle Anderson, age 19, junior, from Gross Pointe, were killed in the attack.

Five other students were seriously injured in the attack -- they remain at Sparrow Hospital in critical condition.

Police said they are actively investigating into why McRae, who has absolutely no affiliation to MSU, carried out the shooting, but it could take days to sort out -- if at all.

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