Michigan State University alumni group holds vigil for students killed in shooting
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The first funerals were held Saturday for the Michigan State University students killed in the mass shooting on campus earlier this week.
Friends and family of sophomore Brian Fraser gathered in the Detroit suburb of Grosse Point Farms to pay their final respets. At the same time a funeral was held for junior Alexandria Verner in the nearby suburb of Clawson. A memorial service was scheduled for later Saturday for Arielle Anderson. Her funeral is scheduled for next week.
The Michigan State community in Chicago is also remembering the victims of that shooting.
Basketball has been far from the minds of Michigan State fans this past week. But Saturday night, the Spartan community in Chicago got together at Tree House in River North to share in something they love as Michigan State looked to take on Michigan in Ann Arbor in the team's first game since the shooting.
The game may have ended in a loss, but it brought a family of green and white together.
The evening started with a candlelight vigil and moment of silence inside Tree House. The Chicago Spartans alumni group organized the event and expected up to 300 people.
Rivalry makes for a great game, but respect defines this matchup in Michigan.
"Because I think it's bringing two teams that are competitive, but they also have one union of support and love," said Dianne McPharlin. "When this happened, it was just like someone was violating your home."
The shooting took the lives of three students and left five more injured.
The loss brought together a crowd of Spartans in Chicago.
"I think this just really signals that, yes, this terrible thing happened on campus, but we're not going to let it define us," said Chicago Spartans President Fawn O'Brien. "We are moving on and starting the healing process and bringing together our communities. I think there's like 50-something game watches happening across the country tonight with various alumni groups."
The Chicago Spartans alumni group says it has also made the decision to direct all proceeds from its annual fundraising event in March to the Spartan Strong Fund. MSU set up the fund to support the victims of the shooting.
