Shooting leaves 1 dead and 6 hurt at historically Black university's homecoming fest in Pennsylvania
A person who had a firearm was detained, and officials are investigating the possibility that there was more than one shooter but don’t believe there is any active threat to the campus.
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One person was killed and six more were wounded in a shooting Saturday night at Pennsylvania's Lincoln University, where gunfire erupted during outdoor festivities as students and alumni celebrated homecoming at the historically Black school.
A person who had a firearm was detained, and officials are investigating the possibility that there was more than one shooter but don’t believe there is any active threat to the campus, Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said during a brief news conference early Sunday.
“We don’t have a lot of answers about exactly what happened," he said. “What I will tell you is that today 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.”
The campus is about 45 miles (70 kilometers) southwest of Philadelphia.
Authorities say the gunfire erupted around 9:30 p.m. outside a large building called the International Cultural Center, where tents and tables were set up for tailgating and socializing after a football game earlier in the day.
“It was a chaotic scene, and people fled in every direction," the district attorney said. He urged anyone with video from the scene or other information that could help the investigation to contact the FBI.
Authorities weren’t sharing details about the victims, including their conditions or where the injured were being treated.
Chester County detectives are leading the investigation, with support from state police and the FBI.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on X that he was briefed on the shooting and offered his administration's support.
“Join Lori and me in praying for the Lincoln University community,” he said.
Lincoln University Police Chief Marc Partee said the shooting devastated the university community on what was supposed to be a joyous day celebrating the school’s legacy.
“If there was another word to describe that, that’s more impactful, I would use it,” he said, “but ‘devastated’ is a start.”
