Student shot during homecoming festivities

A student football player was shot Saturday night outside of the William "Billy" J. Nicks building after several fights during the homecoming step show after party.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was shot once in his left shoulder and was immediately taken to the hospital.

A police source said the person suspected of shooting the student does not attend PVAMU and is not yet in custody.

No arrests were made Saturday but police detained about seven people to gather information.

"As far as the football player goes, he is doing just fine, he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time," said athletic trainer Joii Duke, a junior sports medicine major.

Investigator Darryl Hunt of the department of public safety confirmed that there were approximately two or three fights inside of the Baby Dome during the after party and each was handled accordingly. Hunt said some of the persons involved in the shooting were also involved in the fights inside.

The shooting took place after the people involved left the building and retrieved a gun from their vehicle in the parking lot.

"I think they came here with a specific task because obviously they brought weapons," said Hunt. "I think it was a random act. I don't think that they were targeting any particular individual."

Hunt said that the shooting suspect traveled to the university with about 10 or 15 other people and that they forced entry into the Baby Dome without paying.

According to Hunt, the group soon got into altercations on the dance floor with some of the students.

Hunt said he is working with police departments of other universities, as well as Houston Police Department to gather information.

"I have a person of interest," said Hunt. "I've received information. I also have a witness that saw the person firing the shots."

Contrary to what some students believe, university, as well as area police officers were inside and outside of the Baby Dome during the shooting. Hunt said the department did everything they could to prevent the situation.

Hunt said, "We have a lot of crime prevention tactics in tact. We have no way of knowing what they have in their cars when they come on campus. I think providing that there were so many random people on campus we did what we could do."

Police secured the perimeter of the campus Saturday to try to monitor people leaving or entering campus in an effort to find whomever they were looking for.

Hunt said, "I think they were firing randomly. It could have hit anyone. That's why it is important that we get this person and get them off the streets because it could have been worse."

Students are disappointed by the shootings that took place for the first time on campus since 2007.

Jazmine Chavis, a junior animal science major, said, "If people keep shooting up everything then administrators won't let us have events anymore. I really wish some people would learn how to humble themselves, these shootings are taking effect on us and the type of fun events we can have."