One person has died and 16 others are injured after a shooting at Tuskegee University on Sunday morning.
According to AL.com, police said dozens of shots erupted when the chaotic scene unfolded at the West Commons on-campus apartment at 1:40 a.m. It was supposed to be a celebratory weekend as the school just celebrated its 100th homecoming, but the community is now overwhelmed with grief.
What we know so far about the Tuskeegee homecoming shooting
Tuskegee spokeswoman Thonnia Lee said the person who died was not a member of the university. He was later identified as Latavion Johnson.
However, some of the injured people were Tuskegee students. Of the 16 injured, 12 were shot. Although the severity of the injuries hasn’t been revealed, several people are getting treatment at East Alabama Medical Center and Baptist South Hospital.
A female student who was shot in the stomach was among the injured people. The injured group also includes a male student who was shot in the arm.
Who was arrested in the shooting
AL.com reports that Jaquez Myrick was arrested for “being in possession of a handgun with a machine gun conversion device.” Per AL.com, authorities said that Myrick “was found leaving the scene of the shooting and charged federally with possession of a machine gun.”
He has not been charged in Johnson’s death or any of the other injuries.
Videos that circulated on social media showed people crouching on the ground and hiding behind cars as shots erupted at the apartments on campus. Police were responding to another nearby shooting incident when they got the call from the apartments.
“Some idiots started shooting,” Tuskegee city Police Chief Mardis told AL.com as he talked about the campus shooting. “You couldn’t get the emergency vehicles in there there were so many people there.”
Tuskegee’s football team played against Miles College on Saturday as it celebrated its 100th homecoming. On Sunday morning, however, Miles College sent a sorrow statement to the Tuskegee community.
“Our hearts are with the Tuskegee family as they face the tragic aftermath,” Miles College stated, per AL.com.
Amare’ Hardee, Student Government Association President at Tuskegee, expressed his sorrow as he delivered his message at a Sunday morning service.
“Our gathering is shadowed by a heartbreaking event,” Hardee said. “We experienced a tragedy that has left us all shaken. This senseless act of violence has touched each of us, whether directly or indirectly. We extend our deepest sympathies to the victims and their families, and we stand united in our commitment to supporting each and every one of us.”
