A shooting during Tuskegee University’s 100th homecoming celebrations left an 18-year-old dead and 16 others injured early Sunday morning, November 10, prompting immediate security changes at the historic Alabama institution.
La’Tavion Johnson, who was not a student at the university, was killed while reportedly attempting to protect a female student from gunfire at the West Commons apartment complex.
The incident occurred around 1:40 a.m. as students gathered on the historically Black university campus located in Tuskegee, Alabama, approximately 39 miles east of Montgomery. Among the 16 injured, 12 suffered gunshot wounds while four others were hurt during the chaos. Two students were among those shot – one female sustained stomach injuries and a male was wounded in the arm.
Witnesses said the gunfire sounded like it came from more than one weapon, as if the shooters were engaged in a firefight.
Law enforcement officials arrested Jaquez Myrick, 25, of Montgomery, Alabama, who was found leaving the scene in possession of a handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device. Myrick faces federal charges for possession of a machine gun, though authorities have not accused him of firing the weapon during the incident.
The shooting took place as homecoming festivities were concluding. Earlier that day, more than 47,300 people had filled Alumni Stadium, which has an official capacity of 10,000, for the university’s homecoming football game against Miles College.
In response to the incident, Tuskegee University President Dr. Mark A. Brown announced immediate security changes. The campus will no longer operate as an open facility, and all students and faculty must wear identification badges while on grounds. Additionally, the university has replaced its campus security chief.
Tuskegee Police Chief Patrick Mardis said, “Some idiots started shooting. You couldn’t get the emergency vehicles in there, there were so many people there.”
The university canceled classes for Monday and Tuesday, offering both in-person and virtual counseling services to students and staff. A town hall meeting has been scheduled to address community concerns.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Bureau of Investigation is leading the probe, working in conjunction with federal, state, and local authorities, including the FBI and ATF.
This marks the second mass shooting incident at Tuskegee University in recent history. In September 2023, four people were injured during a shooting at a student housing complex.