EAST LANSING, Mich. (WKRN) — A Michigan State student from Hendersonville described to News 2 his experience when a gunman opened fire on campus Monday night.

Three students tragically lost their lives while five others are still in the hospital.

Dominic Pianto was studying at the campus library which is located near the two buildings the shooter entered. He said a message came over the intercom that there was an active shooter.   

“They were talking about staying put and covering, but my car was right by the exit so I was like, ‘I’m going to get out of here,’” Pianto recalled.  

The shooter, 43-year-old Anthony McRae, first opened fire at Berky Hall and then the student union.  

“As I was getting into my car, there were two students that came up to me and said, ‘Hey, hey, hey, can you get us out of here?’” Pianto said.  

Those students had just ran out of the student union.   

“And I think about those students in my car, their lives are never going to be the same,” Pianto said. 

Dominic brought the students to safety before heading home off campus.    

“Just to look out the window and see the police helicopter that they are reporting on is flying right above our house,” Pianto said.  

He said it was a sleepless night as the Michigan State community took cover. The gunman was found hours later off campus where he took his own life.    

“The gravity of that all still hasn’t set in. I think when I told my family they were feeling that pain, that scare,” Pianto said. 

While this tragedy is over 500 miles from home, he hopes this message comes across.

“It’s not as far away as you think. This kind of event can happen at any moment,” Pianto said.