There had been a series of mass shootings associated withhomecoming events throughout the country. On October 12, one person was killed and nine others were injured near the campus ofTennessee State University inNashville following a homecoming football game as crowds left the match when two groups of people opened fire on each other.[4] On October 19, a 19-year-old woman was killed and four others were wounded on the campus ofAlbany State University inAlbany, Georgia during homecoming weekend celebrations.[5] On the same day, three people were killed and eight others were injured on a trail nearLexington, Mississippi during a post-homecoming football game celebration forHolmes County Central High School.[6] On October 26, shots were fired into the air on the campus ofNorth Carolina Central University inDurham during the school's homecoming celebration, which caused a lockdown, and as officers swept the campus for threats another unrelated shooting began in which four people were wounded.[5]
On November 3, during a homecoming party forOklahoma State University students at an event venue inStillwater, four people were wounded when at least one person opened fire.[7] On November 9, two people were killed and two others were injured near theUniversity of Louisiana inLafayette just after a homecoming game.[8]
The shooting occurred at the end of the University's 100th Homecoming weekend at the West Commons on-campus apartments during a party at around 1:40a.m. on November 10 when multiple gunmen inside of aDodge Charger shot several rounds of ammunition at people before exiting and continuing to open fire.[9] Video of the shooting posted later to social media shows people ducking for cover in a parking lot as shots are heard, and an eyewitness stated he crawled under his car and then ran to his dorm.[10][11]
An 18-year-old male, La'Tavion Johnson, who was not affiliated with the university was killed, and 16 others were injured, one critically.[12] Four of the injuries were not gunshot-related.[3] Victims were transported to and treated at the East Alabama Medical Center inOpelika and the Baptist South Hospital inMontgomery.[9]
Two suspects, 25-year-oldJaquez Myrick ofMontgomery, Alabama, and Jeremiah Williams, were arrested and charged federally with possession of a machine gun. Law enforcement officers arrested them leaving the scene of the shooting.[13][14]
The weapon was modified with aGlock switch, and Myrick admitted to firing it, but denied aiming at anyone.[15]
The university canceled classes on Monday, November 11, and made grief counselors available to the students.[3] The campus was closed after the shooting, with students and faculty required to wear ID's while on campus. The university dismissed the campus security chief and a new security chief reviewed the shooting.[11]
A funeral for Johnson was held on November 23.[16]
