Tuskegee University shooting

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Tuskegee University shooting
White Hall historic building, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama LCCN2010637791.jpg
Tuskegee University in 2015
Location Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama, U.S.
Coordinates 32°25′59″N85°42′33″W / 32.43306°N 85.70917°W / 32.43306; -85.70917
DateNovember 10, 2024
c. 1:40 a.m. (CDT)
Attack type
School shooting, mass shooting
Weapon Glock AK pistols [1]
Deaths1
Injured16 (12 by gunfire)
Victims17
AccusedJaquez Myrick, Jeremiah Williams
ChargesPossession of a machine gun

On November 10, 2024, one person was killed and 16 others were injured in a mass shooting at Tuskegee University. Two people were later arrested, who were in possession of semi-automatic pistols with machine gun conversion devices. The attack occurred on Sunday morning of the university's homecoming weekend. [2] [3]

Contents

Background

There had been a series of mass shootings associated with homecoming events throughout the country. On October 12, one person was killed and nine others were injured near the campus of Tennessee State University in Nashville following a homecoming football game as crowds left the match when two groups of people opened fire on each other. [4] On October 19, a 19-year-old woman was killed and four others were wounded on the campus of Albany State University in Albany, Georgia during homecoming weekend celebrations. [5] On the same day, three people were killed and eight others were injured on a trail near Lexington, Mississippi during a post-homecoming football game celebration for Holmes County Central High School. [6] On October 26, shots were fired into the air on the campus of North Carolina Central University in Durham during the school's homecoming celebration, which caused a lockdown, and as officers swept the campus for threats another unrelated shooting began in which four people were wounded. [7]

On November 3, during a homecoming party for Oklahoma State University students at an event venue in Stillwater, four people were wounded when at least one person opened fire. [8] On November 9, two people were killed and two others were injured near the University of Louisiana in Lafayette just after a homecoming game. [9]

Shooting

The shooting occurred at the end of the University's 100th Homecoming weekend at the West Commons on-campus apartments during a party at around 1:40 a.m. on November 10 when multiple gunmen inside of a Dodge Charger shot several rounds of ammunition at people before exiting and continuing to open fire. [10] Video of the shooting posted later to social media shows people ducking for cover in a parking lot as shots are heard, and an eyewitness stated he crawled under his car and then ran to his dorm. [11] [12]

An 18-year-old male, La'Tavion Johnson, who was not affiliated with the university was killed, and 16 others were injured, one critically. [13] Four of the injuries were not gunshot-related. [3] Victims were transported to and treated at the East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika and the Baptist South Hospital in Montgomery. [10]

Suspects

Two suspects, 25-year-old Jaquez Myrick of Montgomery, Alabama, and Jeremiah Williams, were arrested and charged federally with possession of a machine gun. Law enforcement officers found them leaving the scene of the shooting at the time of their arrests. [14] [15]

The modified device they had for the weapons were Glock switches, and Myrick admitted to firing the weapon, but denied aiming at anyone. [16]

Aftermath

The university canceled classes on Monday, November 11, and announced grief counselors would be available to students. [3] The campus was closed after the shooting, with students and faculty having to wear their ID's while on campus. The university also fired the campus security chief and a new security chief will conduct a review of the shooting. [12]

A funeral for Johnson was held on November 23. [17]

Responses

The Tuskegee police chief Patrick Mardis, stated that "Some idiots started shooting." [3]

Johnson's parents sued Tuskegee University, Myrick, the former security chief and others. [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tuskegee University</span> Historically black university in Tuskegee, Alabama, US

Tuskegee University is a private, historically black land-grant university in Tuskegee, Alabama. It was founded on July 4th in 1881 by the Alabama Legislature.

The Crandon shooting was a mass murder that occurred about 2:45 a.m. CDT on October 7, 2007, at a post-homecoming party inside a duplex in Crandon, Wisconsin, United States. The perpetrator, 20-year-old Tyler James Peterson, who was a full-time deputy in the Forest County Sheriff's Department and a part-time officer with the Crandon Police Department, shot and killed six people and critically injured a seventh before committing suicide. One of the victims, 18-year-old Jordanne Michele Murray, was Peterson's former girlfriend, and it was believed that a dispute within the apartment motivated the shooting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geneva County shootings</span> Mass shooting in Geneva and Samson, Alabama

On March 10, 2009, Michael Kenneth McLendon, 28, fatally shot ten people and wounded six others between the communities of Kinston, Samson, and Geneva, Alabama. McLendon's shooting spree was the deadliest mass shooting in Alabama's history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2013 Santa Monica shootings</span> Shooting spree in Santa Monica, California, US

On June 7, 2013, a spree shooting occurred in Santa Monica, California. Its catalyst was a domestic dispute and subsequent fire at a home, followed by a series of shootings near and on the Santa Monica College campus. Six people were killed, including the suspect, and four injured. The shooter—23-year-old John Zawahri—was killed by police officers when he exchanged gunfire with them at the Santa Monica College library.

On October 24, 2014, 15-year-old freshman student Jaylen Fryberg shot five students at Marysville Pilchuck High School in Marysville, Washington, fatally wounding four, before shooting and killing himself. Fryberg's father, Raymond Fryberg, was arrested and convicted the following year for illegally purchasing and owning the gun used in the shooting, among other firearm offenses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2015 Lafayette shooting</span> 2015 mass shooting in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA

On July 23, 2015, a mass shooting occurred at the Grand 16 movie theater in Lafayette, Louisiana, United States. John Russell Houser (1955-2015), 59, opened fire during a showing of the film Trainwreck, killing two people and injuring nine others before committing suicide.

On November 22, 2018, Emantic Fitzgerald Bradford Jr., an African-American man, was shot three times from behind and killed by Hoover police officer David Alexander on the night of Thanksgiving, at the Riverchase Galleria shopping mall in Hoover, Alabama. Police responded to a shooting at the mall where two people were shot. Another African-American man suspected in the first shooting was arrested in Georgia a week later and charged in the shooting of one of those injured. Bradford was holding a legally owned weapon when shot and was not involved in the prior shooting incident, although near the crime scene. The shooting of Bradford was immediately controversial, and was condemned by the Alabama National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) as an example of racially biased policing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2022 Sacramento shooting</span> Gang shooting in Sacramento, California

On April 3, 2022, at approximately 2:00 a.m., a mass shooting occurred in downtown Sacramento, California, United States. Six people were killed and twelve others were injured. The Sacramento Bee described it as the "worst mass shooting in Sacramento's history". Five shooters are suspected to be involved in the incident.

On September 28, 2022, one person was ultimately killed and five people were wounded from gun violence that occurred at King Estates School Complex, an area where three different high schools share a complex campus in Oakland, California. The shooting happened during school hours at 12:45 p.m., when two gunmen, believed by Oakland authorities to not attend the school, entered the campus of Rudsdale High School and opened thirty rounds on people present on campus. While it is reported that the shooting had gang or group overtones, the victims hit were all allegedly innocent bystanders. No suspects have yet been arrested or identified. There is surveillance footage showing two suspected gunmen on campus, and a third person of interest involved.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wallasey pub shooting</span> 2022 mass shooting in England

On the evening of 24 December 2022, one person was killed and five others were injured in a mass shooting at the Lighthouse pub in Wallasey, Merseyside, England. The perpetrator, 22-year-old Connor Chapman, was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder; it is not believed that the victim was targeted.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2023 Dadeville shooting</span> 2023 mass shooting in Dadeville, Alabama

On April 15, 2023, a mass shooting occurred in Dadeville, Alabama, United States. The victims were mostly teenagers, with four fatalities and thirty-two injuries. The shooting took place at a 16th birthday celebration at the former Dadeville Bank, at 220 N. Broadnax St, which had been converted into the Mahogany Masterpiece Dance Studio in 2021.

On September 21, 2024, four people were killed and seventeen were injured in a mass shooting at an entertainment venue in the Five Points South neighborhood of Birmingham, Alabama, United States.

The following is a list of events of the year 2024 in Alabama.

References

  1. "Man jailed in Tuskegee University shooting says he fired gun, but denies shooting anyone". abc3340.com. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  2. Bowman, Emma (November 10, 2024). "Arrest made in Tuskegee University shooting that left 1 dead, 16 injured". NPR . Archived from the original on November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Martin, Jeff (November 10, 2024). "A person is dead and 16 are hurt after a shooting at Tuskegee University; 1 arrest made". AP News. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  4. Guerry, Colleen (October 12, 2024). "1 dead, at least 9 injured after shooting reported near TSU during homecoming". WKRN-TV . Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  5. "Atlanta 19-year-old identified as victim in deadly shooting at Albany State University homecoming". WANF . October 19, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  6. Smith, Cameron; Howell, Kaitlin; Banks, Delesha (October 19, 2024). "3 killed, 8 injured during Mississippi trail ride shooting". WJTV . Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  7. "Atlanta 19-year-old identified as victim in deadly shooting at Albany State University homecoming". WANF . October 19, 2024. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  8. Ward, Amaya (November 4, 2024). "Investigation underway after homecoming party shooting in Stillwater". KFOR-TV . Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  9. Jimenez, Gabby (November 10, 2024). "Lafayette police identify 2 killed in shooting near UL's campus that injured 2 others". The Acadiana Advocate. Retrieved November 12, 2024.
  10. 1 2 Riddle, Safiyah (November 11, 2024). "Gunshots at Tuskegee University sent terrified students running for their lives". Associated Press . Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  11. Afshar, Paradise; Boyette, Chris; Watson, Michelle (November 10, 2024). "Arrest made in shooting at Alabama's Tuskegee University that killed 1, injured 16 during homecoming week". CNN. Archived from the original on November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  12. 1 2 Riddle, Safiyah (November 11, 2024). "Gunshots at Tuskegee University sent terrified students running for their lives". AP News. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  13. Gladden, Alex (November 13, 2024). "Fundraiser launched for family of 18-year-old Tuskegee homecoming shooting victim". Montgomery Advertiser . Retrieved November 16, 2024.
  14. Bowman, Emma (November 10, 2024). "Montgomery man charged in connection of the Tuskegee University shooting that left 1 dead and 16 injured". WSFA . Archived from the original on November 11, 2024. Retrieved November 11, 2024.
  15. Owen, Emma (November 19, 2024). "Second man charged with possession of a machine gun after mass shooting at Tuskegee University". WTVM13. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  16. Rocha, Alander (November 13, 2024). "Affidavit: Man charged in connection with Tuskegee shooting says he fired gun, didn't aim at anyone • Alabama Reflector". Alabama Reflector. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
  17. "Funeral held for Tuskegee University shooting victim". WSFA. November 23, 2024. Retrieved December 15, 2024.
  18. Conlon, Riley (November 19, 2024). "Parents of teen killed in mass shooting at Tuskegee University suing school and suspect". WTVM13. Retrieved December 15, 2024.