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5 people shot at Morgan State University, 4 of them students

morgan state
Posted at 10:09 PM, Oct 03, 2023
and last updated 2023-10-04 18:24:48-04

BALTIMORE — Five people including four students were injured in a shooting at Morgan State University Tuesday night.

Gunshots rang out just before 9:30 p.m. near the Murphy Fine Arts Center, as people were leaving the Mr. and Mrs. Morgan State homecoming coronation.

Responding officers found multiple windows shattered along with five victims ranging from 18 to 22-years-old.

There was initial concern of an active shooter situation, prompting a temporary shelter-in-place order to be issued.

The order was eventually lifted after a police SWAT team swept surrounding buildings.

All victims, four of them men and one woman, are expected to survive. One was already released from the hospital.

Baltimore Police Commissioner Richard Worley said investigators are still piecing together evidence hoping it leads to the suspect(s).

"It looks like it was probably a dispute between two smaller groups and then one individual was a target of two individuals who had weapons," said Worley. "We believe the five victims who were struck were unintended targets, and we do know a third person pulled a weapon but we don't know how many of those were fired because mainly all the ballistics was relatively the same and we have to do a deeper dive."

A few students expressed frustration and sadness about the tragic incident happening over homecoming week.

It's the third consecutive year gun violence has broken out on campus during the annual festivities.

Last year a 20-year-old was wounded during anunsanctioned after party on Hillen Road.

Then in 2021, following Morgan's homecoming football game, a fight between two freshmen led to gunfirein the Montebello Complex parking lot.

An emergency meeting has been scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday to reevaluate the status of this year's homecoming events.

Classes at the university were also canceled Wednesday, although counselors will be available for students.

"What happened on our campus was such a senseless act of violence perpetrated on our community," said Morgan State President David K. Wilson. "It was so disappointing to learn of what took place especially after what was a family-filled and fun evening of celebrating the pageantry and beauty of our students. Our prayers are with our students who suffered injuries, and their loved ones."