Delaware State University officials offered some additional details about a Saturday morning campus shooting that left students injured.
DSU President Tony Allen says the students shot were taken to the hospital and are doing well, but they are still seeking answers about who did the shooting.
“As happens on university campuses more often than they should, we're fairly clear that they were not students that were the perpetrators of this event," Allen said. "So these are outside folks who somehow got on campus.”
At a gathering near the basketball courts near the MLK building, the shooter allegedly shot into the crowd, injuring the students. DSU Police Chief Bobby Cummings said the motive is unclear, but they are investigating a possible robbery.
Curfews have not been considered, but the basketball courts, where the incident occured, is one place Allen says needs enhanced security.
“We have 100% check-ins to the campus after five o'clock," Allen says. "We lock our gates after five o'clock particularly on the weekends. But the reality is that we are an open campus and there are multiple ways to get on the campus, not unlike any other university in the country. Having said that, we have upwards of 30 law enforcement and security professionals on campus. Obviously 24 hour dispatch, ongoing security cameras throughout the campus”
Student Government Association President David Hawkins says the student body is shaken by the incident.
“A lot of students weren't really expecting to come on to campus and for anything like this to ever happen," Hawkins said. "I will say that it was a very dark period for the university and it has been very quiet ever since as far as student engagement at the moment.”
Recent threats against HBCUs nationwide already spurred enhanced security at DSU, but Allen says they are considering other plans to keep the campus safe, especially for upcoming events, like Homecoming.
DSU Police Chief Bobby Cummings says they are working with other police departments and the student body to find the perpetrator. They’ve also set up an anonymous tip line for anyone with information about the incident - 857-7918.
