A shooting during Albany State University’s homecoming festivities on Oct. 19 has left one dead, with multiple people injured.
The incident occurred in the later hours of Oct. 19, during a “Back to the Yard Celebration Concert” took place on the southwest Georgia campus. That same day, the school celebrated a win for its football team.
Albany State University, an HBCU located approximately 200 miles outside Atlanta, released a statement confirming the tragedy.
“The Albany State University family is deeply saddened to learn of an incident on campus at approximately 8:50 p.m. on Saturday, October 19, 2024,” wrote the university’s interim president, Lawrence M. Drake II, obtained by WSB-TV. “As always, the safety and security of our ASU students, faculty and staff are the number one priority of this institution.”Drake added, “Albany State University remains committed to providing resources for the mental, emotional and physical well-being of our campus community. Counseling and other resources are available to students during this time. We are encouraging our students to make use of these resources as needed.”
The deceased has been identified as De’Marion Tashawn Daniels, a 19-year-old from Newnan, Georgia. According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, he did not attend the college. The other victims were all female, including a 13-year-old and two high schoolers from Albany.
However, the HBCU is
not the only one to have a gunfire incident during its homecoming events. A week prior, a shooting near Tennessee State University left one person dead with nine others injured. It also occurred during the Nashville HBCU’s homecoming, yet not on its campus, per CNN.Last year, a mass shooting at the beginning of fellow HBCU Morgan State University’s homecoming led to the cancellation of the rest of its scheduled events. Four students sustained injuries during the campus tragedy.
As for Albany State, the GBI continues its investigation into what led to the shooting. Authorities have yet to reveal a motive or suspect to the public.
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