An 18-year-old was killed and at least 16 other people, including students, were injured when a barrage of gunfire erupted early Sunday on the campus of Tuskegee University in Alabama, marring the school’s centennial homecoming festivities, authorities said.
No arrests have been made in the shooting, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) said Sunday afternoon.
The shooting unfolded around 1:40 a.m. on the Macon County campus as homecoming activities, including a football game Saturday afternoon between Tuskegee and Alabama’s Miles College, were winding down, officials said.
According to radio transmissions from police officers sent to the campus to investigate the shooting, multiple shooters are suspected to have been involved.
“There’s going to be two shooters at this time, maybe more,” one officer said in a radio call, according to transmissions provided by Broadcastify.
The on-campus shooting resulted in “the death of a non-university individual,” the university said in a statement released early Sunday.
“The parents of this individual have been notified,” the statement read. “Several others including Tuskegee University students were injured and are receiving treatment at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika and Baptist South Hospital in Montgomery.”
State police said Sunday afternoon that the person killed in the shooting was 18 years old. Police said that of the 16 people hurt in the shooting, 12 were hit by gunfire and four were hurt over the course of the incident, some while running from cover.
Several videos posted on social media captured what sounded like numerous gunshots being fired and showed people diving to the ground or taking cover in vehicles.
At the request of the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, special agents from ALEA’s Bureau of Investigation are probing the shooting and working to identify suspects.
“Special Agents are still in the process of gathering and examining information relative to the sequence of events which ultimately led to the shooting. The scene has now been secured by several law enforcement agencies. At this time, no arrests have been made,” ALEA said.
Officials asked anyone with information about the shooting to contact investigators immediately. Authorities also asked potential witnesses to upload any digital files of the incident, including video, to the FBI.
University officials added, “The university is in the process of completing student accountability and notifying parents. Further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.”
Tuskegee University announced on Sunday that all classes on Monday will be canceled while investigators continue to process the shooting scene. University grief counselors will be available for students in the school’s chapel on Monday.
