November 11th 2024.
Early on Sunday, during the exciting homecoming weekend at Tuskegee University in Alabama, a tragic event occurred. One person lost their life and 16 others were injured, with a dozen of them being shot, according to authorities. The news of the shooting spread quickly and just a few hours later, an arrest was made.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency announced that 25-year-old Jaquez Myrick, from Montgomery, was taken into custody while attempting to leave the campus. He was found to be in possession of a handgun with a machine gun conversion device, and is now facing a federal charge of possession of a machine gun. The agency did not provide any details regarding Myrick's involvement in the shooting.
It is still unclear if Myrick was a student at the historically Black university, where the shooting took place during the 100th Homecoming Week celebration. The university has not released any information about Myrick's enrollment status. However, authorities did confirm that the 18-year-old who died was not a student at the university, but some of the injured were.
At the moment, it is unknown if Myrick has a lawyer to speak on his behalf. The state agency reported that 12 people were injured by gunfire, while four others sustained injuries unrelated to the shooting. The injured were taken to different hospitals for treatment, including East Alabama Medical Center and Baptist South Hospital.
The FBI has joined the investigation and is asking for tips from the public, as well as any witnesses who may have video footage of the incident. They have set up an online platform for people to upload any relevant videos. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also involved in the investigation, as confirmed by a local prosecutor.
Following the tragic event, Tuskegee University cancelled classes for the following day and made grief counselors available to students in the university's chapel. The parents of the victim have been notified and an autopsy has been planned at the state's forensic center in Montgomery, according to Macon County Coroner Hal Bentley.
Patrick Mardis, the police chief of Tuskegee city, revealed that among the injured were a female student who was shot in the stomach and a male student who was shot in the arm. Mardis also shared that the city police were responding to a separate shooting when they received the call about the university shooting at the West Commons on-campus apartments. He described the chaotic scene, saying, "Some idiots started shooting and it was difficult for emergency vehicles to get through due to the large crowds."
The mood in the small town of Tuskegee, with a population of around 9,000 people, was somber following the shooting, according to Bentley. Amare' Hardee, the student government association president and a senior from Tallahassee, Florida, expressed how the shooting has affected the entire university community. He called it a senseless act of violence that has touched everyone.
At the university's homecoming convocation on Sunday morning, a pastor from the Tuskegee National Alumni Association offered words of comfort and reminded everyone of the fragility of life. He urged people to rely on their faith and trust in God during difficult times. Miles College, Tuskegee's opponent for the homecoming football game, released a statement expressing their sympathy and support for the Tuskegee community.
This is not the first time that a shooting has occurred at Tuskegee University. In September 2023, four people were injured during a shooting at a student housing complex. Two visitors and two students were hurt during an unauthorised party, as reported by the Montgomery Advertiser. The university, with an enrollment of about 3,000 students, holds a special place in history as the first historically Black college to be designated a Registered National Landmark and a National Historic Site.
Norma Clayton, the chairwoman of the board of trustees, addressed the congregation at the Sunday morning service and expressed her belief that the university community will come together and get through this tough time. She said, "In tough times, tough people band together and they survive."
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