Subscribe
Follow Us
Classes at Jackson State University were canceled today following a tragic incident over the weekend. Jaylen Burns, a promising student and leader, lost his life in an on-campus shooting. This unfortunate event reflects a concerning trend that has recently affected HBCU Homecomings, with previous incidents occurring at Bowie State University and Morgan State University.
Sadly, this is the second shooting to occur on the Jackson campus, as there was also an incident on October 14th. It is important to note that the October 14th shooting involved individuals who were not affiliated with Jackson State University, as stated in a post from the university.
According to local affiliate WAPT, President Elayne Hayes-Anthony released a statement confirming key details about the incident.
“With a heavy heart, I share the passing of Jaylen Burns, an industrial technology major from Chicago, Illinois. He was transported to the hospital from campus after reports of shots fired at the University Pointe Apartment Complex. The Jackson Police Department and Capitol Police are assisting in the investigation to apprehend the person of interest.
Out of an abundance of caution, additional security is on sight to ensure the safety of our campus community. We urge everyone to please carry your JSU Identification at all times. Classes are suspended for Monday, Oct. 16.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Jaylen’s family, friends, and all those who knew him. He was an ambitious and bright young man, who believed in being of service as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. and president of the C100 Chapter at JSU, an affiliate of the 100 Black Men of America. We grieve the tragic loss of his life due to this senseless act of violence.
Article Continues Below
The safety of our students and campus community remains our priority. We are committed to addressing any threats to the security of this campus with the utmost care and attention.
We further encourage any member of our faculty, staff, or student body in need of grief support or locating counseling resources in your area, to please contact The Latasha Norman Center for Counseling Services at 601-979-0374 or email latashanormancenter@jsums.edu.”
Jackson Police Department Chief Joseph Wade reported that a witness stated the incident took place on the JSU campus, near the University Pointe apartment complex.
“We made contact with the man at Lynch Street and Alta Vista, who had been shot multiple times,” said Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade. “Upon speaking with a witness on scene, she had said it had transpired on the campus of JSU, near the apartment complex University Pointe.”
