Ex-NFL star puts onus on individuals, not guns following deadly Michigan State shooting

Former NFL defensive end and sports analyst Marcellus Wiley weighed in following the Michigan State University shooting that left three undergraduates dead, and five others wounded on Monday.  

The shooter, Anthony McRae, was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound Monday evening. 

First responders stage outside Berkey Hall following shootings on the campus of Michigan State University on Monday, Feb. 13.

First responders stage outside Berkey Hall following shootings on the campus of Michigan State University on Monday, Feb. 13. (AP/Al Goldis)

Calls for stricter gun control laws have followed, but the one-time Pro Bowler pointed the blame at the individuals pulling the trigger as opposed to the weapons used in mass shootings. 

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“We’ve got to stop blaming the gun and start looking at the humans and the individuals who are now responsible with those guns,” Wiley said in a post to Twitter on Tuesday. “And unfortunately, like incidents today [at Michigan State], irresponsible with those guns.”

“Someone told me this once: They said, ‘We blame guns in this country more than anything.’ But if you think about it, if you put a gun on a table, it does nothing,” Wiley continued. “It needs a human being to activate. It needs a human being to be that weapon of destruction.”

Marcellus Wiley attends Trauma-Sensitive Training for Sports Coaches at Jesse Owens Recreation Center on May 23, 2019, in Los Angeles.

Marcellus Wiley attends Trauma-Sensitive Training for Sports Coaches at Jesse Owens Recreation Center on May 23, 2019, in Los Angeles. (Randy Shropshire/Getty Images for Up2Us Sports)

Wiley said the calls for gun control will not make society safer as law-breaking individuals will still find a way to obtain the weapons. 

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“Ban all the guns and then, guess what? That will make safer schools, safer streets, safer communities,” Wiley continued. “I don’t think it would. You know why? Because if you ban all the guns, only the bad guys are going to get access to the guns, right? Because the bad guys are not going to follow the law.”

Wiley played for 10 years in the NFL, spending time with four different organizations

His remarks after the mass shooting are certainly different from others in the sports world following tragic events involving gun violence. 

Following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May 2022, many in the sports world called for stricter gun laws. 

Marcellus Wiley attends Galaxy of Wishes: A Night to Benefit Make-A-Wish at Disneyland on Dec. 7, 2021, in Anaheim, California.

Marcellus Wiley attends Galaxy of Wishes: A Night to Benefit Make-A-Wish at Disneyland on Dec. 7, 2021, in Anaheim, California. (Tiffany Rose/Getty Images for Make-A-Wish)

The Miami Heat urged fans before Game 5 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals to contact their state senators in support of “commonsense gun laws.”

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“The Heat urges you to contact your state’s senators by calling 202-224-3121 to leave a message demanding their support for commonsense gun laws,” Miami’s PA announcer said following a moment of silence. “You can also make change at the ballot box. Visit heat.com/vote to register and let your voice be heard this fall.”

Fox News Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report

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