Tragedy struck Tuskegee University early Sunday morning when a shooting occurred on campus following the historically Black university’s 100th homecoming celebration.
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The violence erupted at around 1:40 a.m. at the West Commons on-campus apartments, leaving one person dead and several others injured. Tuskegee spokeswoman Thonnia Lee confirmed that the victim who was killed was not affiliated with the university.
“The person who was killed was not associated with the university,” she stated.
Multiple others, including Tuskegee students, were injured and have been transported to East Alabama Medical Center and Baptist South Hospital. Their exact conditions remain unclear, as authorities have not released further details on the severity of their injuries.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Lt. Jeremy Burkett reported that while no arrests have been made, the State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Special Agents are currently collecting and analyzing evidence to piece together the sequence of events.
Macon County Coroner Hal Bentley confirmed that “quite a few people” were injured, though he was unable to provide an exact number. Bentley also refrained from releasing information about the individual who was killed.
Tuskegee City Police Chief Mardis gave further details, stating that a female student was shot in the stomach. A male student was also injured, with a gunshot wound to the arm. He did not have information about a third person who was injured in the incident.
Disturbing social media videos captured the chaos, showing rapid-fire gunshots as people crouched for cover behind cars and on the ground. These shots rang out in the vicinity of West Commons, a popular gathering spot during homecoming.
At the time of the shooting, Tuskegee City police were responding to an unrelated double shooting at a nearby Texaco station, where two people suffered minor injuries. The police then received the call about the shooting at West Commons.
“Some idiots started shooting,” Chief Mardis remarked about the campus shooting. “You couldn’t get the emergency vehicles in there, there were so many people there.”
Tuskegee University’s 100th homecoming was held on Saturday, with a football game against Miles College. In response to the violence, Miles College expressed their solidarity.
The school released a statement saying, “Our hearts are with the Tuskegee family as they face the tragic aftermath. ”
Campus and local law enforcement, along with emergency responders, quickly secured the scene. The State Bureau of Investigations is conducting an ongoing investigation.
The university is actively working to complete a student accountability process and notify parents, according to Lee.
