It happened again, only closer to home.

A 43-year-old Lansing man identified as Anthony Dwayne McRae killed three students and wounded five at Michigan State University on Monday evening before shooting himself off campus after the incident.

As of Tuesday, the motive still was unclear.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ordered U.S. and Michigan flags within the State Capitol Complex and on all public buildings and grounds in the state to be lowered to half-staff until further notice to honor and remember the victims of the shootings.

“MSU’s campus is a special place for so many that is now the site of a tragic and senseless act of violence,” Whitmer said in a statement. “I’m heartbroken for the victims and every student, parent, faculty and MSU staff member affected by last night’s events.

“I want to thank law enforcement, first responders and medical professionals for acting quickly to protect campus and save lives. We must work together to end this gun violence that claims the lives of too many Americans and upends the lives of countless others every day.”

Northern Michigan University President Brock Tessman issued a message Tuesday to the campus community. “We stand ready to support the MSU community in any way we can,” Tessman wrote. “It is hard to imagine the fear and trauma that MSU students, faculty and staff are experiencing, especially those on campus last night. It is impossible to truly comprehend the pain of the victim’s families.”

He stressed that NMU has an alert system such as what was used on the MSU campus during the crisis, with everyone automatically registered into the system when they arrive at Northern.

Additionally, the NMU Police Department regularly trains for all kinds of university emergencies, including active shooter situations.

Tessman provided sources where students could obtain resources to deal with the situation.

There are many heartbreaking stories that are part of the MSU tragedy. The Associated Press reported a student came across a woman who was covered in blood — her friend’s blood. He then returned to his SUV and threw a blanket over himself to hide.

Another student told the Lansing State Journal that he hid under a pile of dirty laundry in his first-floor room, closing all of his blinds and turning off the lights. “It’s far too late for this to be called a wake-up call,” he said. “The sad truth is I doubt we’re going to be the last.”

More discussions will — and should — ensue regarding mental health and reasonable gun control. Mental health is at the root of these tragedies, and this must be addressed. However, people also should look at gun laws and how they play into such scenarios.

Mass shootings happen all too frequently and must stop. In the meantime, a quick response from law enforcement, safety procedures and alert citizens will make a difference in mitigating these incidents. That all happened with the MSU incident — and for that we are grateful.