A 25-year-old male has been arrested following the shooting on Tuskegee University's campus during homecoming where 16 people were left injured and one person died, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency told WSFA12. This incident marks the first shooting at the university since Sept. 2023, when four were injured at a student housing complex according to the Montgomery Advertiser.
The shooting happened around 1:40 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 10th near the university's West Commons Dorm, when students and alumni were nearly finished celebrating the university's 100th homecoming.
Jaquez Myrick of Montgomery, the suspect in custody, has been federally charged with possession of a machine gun. Authorities caught him leaving the crime scene with a handgun that had a machine gun conversion device. Officials informed WSFA12 that the deceased individual was an 18-year-old and who was not a student. They were found dead at the scene.
Out of the 16 injured, four had injuries unrelated to gunfire and a few were TU students. Tuskegee University released an official statement following the shooting, confirming that Myrick is a “non-university individual”.
“Tuskegee University confirms that a shooting occurred on campus early Sunday morning, Nov. 10, resulting in the death of a non-university individual. The parents of this individual have been notified. Several others including Tuskegee University students were injured and are receiving treatment at East Alabama Medical Center in Opelika and Baptist South Hospital in Montgomery.”
The university also stated they are in the process of “completing student accountability and notifying parents”. Classes have been canceled at the school for Monday, Nov. 11th and students will have access to grief counselors.
Tuskegee's police chief, Patrick Mardis, told Al.com that police were responding to an unrelated double shooting off campus when officers got the call about the university shooting.
“Some idiots started shooting,” Mardis said. “You couldn’t get the emergency vehicles in there, there were so many people there.”
He shared that a female student was shot in the stomach and a male student was shot in the arm. When speaking to the Associated Press, Macon County Coroner Hal Bentley could not recall any previous shootings during TU's past homecoming celebrations in his 37 years of work.
Miles College, the school's homecoming opponent, showed support for Tuskegee University on their social media accounts.
“Today, our hearts are with the Tuskegee family as they face the tragic aftermath of the recent shooting on campus,” the college said in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to those impacted and pray for healing and justice. Miles College stands with you in this difficult time.”
ALEA is encouraging anyone with information to submit tips at 1-800-CALL-FBI and upload any digital files regarding the incident online at fbi.gov/tuskegeeshooting24.
The following agencies are assisting ALEA in the investigation: Tuskegee University Police Department, Tuskegee Police Department, Macon County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation Mobile Office, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fifth Judicial Circuit and the Alabama Attorney General’s Office.
As of now, there is no other information on the incident. The case is still under investigation.
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