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U.S. NEWS Thursday 5 OcTOber 2023

Morgan State shooting erupted during dispute but victims were

unintended targets, police say

By Lea Skene and Sarah “Unfortunately, individuals
Brumfield respond to campus and
Associated Press act poorly,” he said. “Of-
BALTIMORE (AP) — At least tentimes you can’t stop a
two people opened fire bad actor from doing bad
during a dispute between acts, but we will continue
two groups at Morgan to try to ensure the safety
State University homecom- of our students.”
ing events Tuesday night, Advocates and local lead-
but the five victims were ers said the shooting high-
likely not the shooters’ in- lights the drumbeat of trau-
tended targets, officials ma students are experienc-
said. ing in schools across the
All other homecoming country.
events and classes were “It shouldn’t be lost on any-
canceled for the remain- one that this shooting took
der of the week, including place during homecom-
Saturday’s football game, ing week for a generation
university President David that has been raised on
Wilson announced late A police officer searches for evidence in front of a building at Morgan State University after a school shooting drills and
Wednesday afternoon. Wil- shooting, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson) mass shootings,” said Kris
son said the regrettable de- Brown, president of Brady,
cision marked “the very first to begin when gunfire sent said. “A lot of people are reporter with the university’s a nationwide group that
time in Morgan’s history” people scattering in fear. talking about leaving for student newspaper asked advocates for stronger gun
that such events were can- The gunshot victims — four the weekend.” officials how they plan to controls. “Gun violence
celed. Some students were men and one woman — Michelle Newman said address what has become has been a daily presence
seen leaving campus with are between ages 18 and she drove down from New a trend: Last October, a for this generation, and it
duffel bags and suitcases 22. Four are Morgan State York after getting frantic young man was shot dur- is now following them into
Wednesday afternoon. students. calls from her daughter, a ing what officials called an adulthood.”
“Today, we unfortunately No arrests have been freshman, who was hav- unsanctioned homecom- “This is not the first time
find ourselves navigating made yet. ing a panic attack as the ing after-party on the cam- something has happened
this tragic event during a City police and university shooting unfolded Tuesday pus, and the year before, a during homecoming week
time at which we should be officials initially warned stu- night, saying a bullet came freshman was arrested and at Morgan, so there’s a
celebrating,” Wilson said dents of an active shooter through her dorm room charged with shooting his lot of soul-searching that I
in a letter to the university and ordered them to shel- window. classmate over homecom- think all of us have to do,”
community. ter in place for hours while “She was hysterical,” New- ing weekend. Baltimore City Council
Baltimore Police Commis- SWAT officers went door to man said. “She called to Morgan State University Po- member Odette Ramos,
sioner Richard Worley said door searching for suspects. ask us what she was sup- lice Chief Lance Hatcher whose district includes part
preliminary evidence in- Worley said police heard posed to do.” said the agency has taken of Morgan State’s campus,
dicates the shooters were gunshots and several dorm Newman said she planned “extraordinary measures said during a council hear-
targeting one person, who windows shattered, so offi- to bring her daughter home to bring additional secu- ing Wednesday afternoon.
wasn’t among the victims. cials initially thought there where she would feel safe. rity resources to campus” “But the issue is also guns.”
All five are expected to was an active shooter and The chaos of the previous in recent years, including In remarks to the media
survive. Worley said a third acted accordingly. night was still fresh in peo- increased police presence Wednesday morning, Balti-
person also pulled a gun On campus Wednesday ple’s minds. and surveillance camera more Mayor Brandon Scott
during the dispute, though afternoon, workers were Jennifer Eden, 34, of Balti- coverage. University po- reiterated his demand for
it wasn’t clear whether they replacing the windows more, attended the coro- lice officers heard the gun- Congress to pass substan-
pulled the trigger. He said and sweeping up broken nation ceremony and was shots while patrolling the tive gun reform, calling the
ballistics testing will reveal glass while students milled headed toward the stu- campus Tuesday night and shooting a “sickening re-
how many shooters were about — some comment- dent center with a friend responded almost immedi- minder … of how common-
ultimately involved. ing on the evolving crime when shots rang out and ately to render aid, officials place these incidents have
The updates from po- scene, which included people started running. said. become.”q
lice Wednesday morning blood splatters on a con- “I had never been so close
helped quell rumors circu- crete walkway and yellow to gunshots that I could
lating online about whether crime tape crisscrossing feel the vibration in the
the attack was racially mo- the adjacent courtyard. A air,” Eden said. “Corona-
tivated or a planned school neon sign at one campus tion is very much a pomp
shooting on the historically entrance flashed: “Morgan and circumstance kind of
Black university campus in family, Morgan strong.” event. People are in gowns
northeast Baltimore. Emani Jones-Grant, a fresh- and tuxedos and crowns
The shooting unfolded man from New Jersey, said and sashes, and so gun vi-
around 9:30 p.m., shortly that instead of visiting for olence is the furthest thing
after a coronation cere- homecoming weekend, from my mind in that type
mony for this year’s Mister her family was planning to of setting.”
and Miss Morgan State in pick her up Thursday. She But previous Morgan State
the campus auditorium. At- said she’s enjoying college homecoming celebrations
tendees were walking from overall, but the shooting have also been subject to Morgan State University President David Wilson speaks at a
the auditorium to the stu- left her and others feeling violence. news conference after a shooting on campus, Wednesday, Oct.
dent center for a corona- shaken. During a news conference 4, 2023, in Baltimore.
tion ball, which was about “The vibe is weird,” she on campus Wednesday, a (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)