Athortites discuss shooting at Lincoln University that left one dead, six injured

At least one person was killed and six others were injured Oct. 25 when gunfire erupted during late-night homecoming festivities at Lincoln University, a historically Black college in Pennsylvania.

The shooting occurred just before 9:30 p.m. in the parking lot of the university’s International Cultural Center, where students and alumni gathered for a tailgate after a football game earlier in the day.

“It was a chaotic scene, and people were running everywhere,” Chester County District Attorney Chris de Barrena-Sarobe said during a 1:00 a.m. press conference, describing a happy scene interrupted by violence. The university is located approximately 30 miles southeast of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Police detained one armed suspect and are investigating the possibility that others were involved in the shooting. De Barrena-Sarobe did not immediately provide details about the suspect in custody.

“We’re operating as if this is not an incident where someone came in with the design to inflict mass damage on a college campus,” he said.

A motive for the shooting is not known at this time, investigators confirmed.

The shootings occurred during what Lincoln Police Chief Marc Partee described as a tailgate celebration "where we gather, we meet friends that we've seen, haven't seen for years, reconnect, share stories, things of that nature."

"This was to be a joyous occasion − homecoming, when individuals come back and they give back to their alma mater, and they relive the good memories of their times at Lincoln University," Partee said. "This was interrupted by gunfire that should not have occurred, and we are concerned for our students who had to experience this, our alumni who had to experience this, and our visitors."

The FBI, Pennsylvania State Police and Lincoln University Police Department are involved in the investigation. Authorities say more information will be released as the investigation continues.

Students recount chaotic scene

Outside the campus gates the following morning, the only visible sign of the tragedy was ribbons of caution tape fluttering in the breeze.

Sani Freeman, 20, who was visiting friends and her sister, a student at Lincoln, described the campus as eerily quiet. She and senior Jiles Ebai had just left the parking lot minutes before the gunfire erupted.

“We heard it, but we didn’t know what was going on,” Ebai said. “Then we saw people running.”

Lincoln University was one of the nation’s first historically Black colleges and universities. It enrolls nearly 2,000 students.

Investigators are urging anyone with information, photos, or videos from the scene to contact the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI.

The shooting comes amid a rash of recent gun violence at bars, parties and outdoor festivals across the country. Just hours before gunfire broke out at Lincoln University, a shooting at a party in North Carolina killed two and injured 13 others.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: 1 dead, 6 injured in shooting at HBCU Lincoln University's homecoming

Reporting by Anitra Johnson and Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY NETWORK / Delaware News Journal

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect