Police investigating threat of 'mass casualties' at MSU, U-M, Ford unless $100 billion ransom is paid

EAST LANSING — Michigan State University's Department of Police and Public Safety is investigating a "vague and nonspecific threat" that was sent by email to numerous people across Michigan, including officials at MSU, on Wednesday night.

The threat, sent via email, demanded $100 billion from the sender's "hostages" — Ford Motor Company, Michigan State University and the University of Michigan Ann Arbor. The email was sent about 9:25 p.m. to 29 people with Ford, MSU and Lansing State Journal email addresses. None of the recipients appeared to have U-M email addresses.

"You will pay the sum of $100 Billion Dollars by 5/23/2024 in ransom, or face another hired assassin for exponential losses and mass casualties that pales in comparison to February 14, 2023," the email said. It was signed "A Next Gen Assassin."

The Feb. 14, 2023, date appears to be a reference to the fatal shooting on MSU's campus on Feb. 13, 2023, in which a gunman murdered three students and wounded five others before later killing himself when confronted by police.

The email included a visible address for the sender, but it's unclear whether it was a valid address or belonged to the person sending the email.

MSU police spokesperson Dana Whyte said that "while it is still very early in the investigation, this threat does not seem to be credible.

"We did immediately open a criminal investigation and our detectives are following up on all possible leads and conducting a thorough and comprehensive investigation," she said. "The safety and security of our campus is our top priority."