One person was killed and six others wounded when gunfire erupted during homecoming festivities at Pennsylvania’s Lincoln University on Saturday night, transforming what should have been a joyous reunion into chaos and tragedy.
The shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. in a parking lot near the International Cultural Center, where students and alumni had gathered for a tailgate celebration following the afternoon’s football game. Witnesses described a scene of pandemonium as crowds scattered in every direction when shots rang out across the historic Chester County campus.
Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe called it a devastating night, noting that the festivity was interrupted and decimated by gunfire. He told reporters Sunday morning that it was a chaotic scene, with people fleeing in all directions.
A person found in possession of a firearm has been detained, though no charges had been announced as of early Sunday. The district attorney said investigators are examining evidence suggesting there may have been more than one shooter, though he emphasized this remains a theory as officials work to piece together what happened.
The six people struck by gunfire were transported to local hospitals. Officials did not provide details about their conditions or whether any were Lincoln University students. Several others were treated at the scene after being knocked to the ground and trampled as people ran for cover, according to authorities.
De Barrena-Sarobe said investigators don’t believe this was a planned mass shooting targeting the campus. Instead, the evidence suggests something occurred among people in the parking lot that escalated into deadly violence. Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are working together on the investigation.
Lincoln University Police Chief Marc Partee expressed heartbreak over the violence that shattered a celebration meant to honor the school’s legacy. The historically Black university, recognized as the nation’s first degree granting HBCU, had welcomed alumni back to campus for homecoming weekend.
Partee described homecoming as a time when individuals come back and give back to their alma mater, living the good memories of their time at Lincoln University. That joy was cut short by gunfire that shouldn’t have occurred, he said during Sunday’s press conference.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he’d been briefed on the shooting and offered state support to university President Brenda Allen and local law enforcement. He urged people to avoid the area and follow official guidance while joining him in prayers for the Lincoln University community.
The university announced on Instagram that counseling services would be available starting at 10 a.m. Sunday for students and staff needing support. The campus was briefly placed on lockdown Saturday night but the order was lifted after police determined there was no active threat.
This marks the latest in a disturbing pattern of violence at homecoming celebrations. Five people were injured in a shooting near Howard University as the historically Black school began homecoming activities Friday, and shootings in Montgomery following Alabama State’s homecoming game and the Tuskegee Morehouse rivalry left two dead and twelve injured.
Authorities are urging anyone with information, including photos or videos from Saturday night’s event, to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI. The district attorney emphasized that this mass shooting should never have happened.
The International Cultural Center where the shooting occurred also houses the Lincoln University Police Department. The building sits near the football stadium where thousands had gathered hours earlier for homecoming weekend festivities. Located about 45 miles southwest of Philadelphia in Lower Oxford Township, Lincoln University serves as a cornerstone institution in the history of Black higher education in America.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
