DEVELOPING: Police are responding to reports of shots fired on Central Michigan University’s campus; authorities urging students and staff to remain clear of area https://t.co/e5ktDziHFM pic.twitter.com/uMT2jNJOSU
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 2, 2018
Two weeks after the Stoneman Douglas High School massacre and a few days after an armed Georgia teacher fired shots on campus, violence has again struck an educational institution in the U.S. As shown in this CBS News clip, authorities responded on Friday morning after reports of shots fired on Central Michigan University’s campus in Mt. Pleasant, two hours away from Detroit. Students were warned to shelter in place and avoid Campbell Hall, where gunfire was heard on the fourth floor of the dormitory building.
At this time, authorities reveal that at least two people were struck by gunfire. The local NBC News affiliate reports that confusion initially abounded over the conditions of those who were shot, but the Detroit Free Press reveals that the two victims have died from their wounds. The Mount Pleasant Police Department tweets that the suspect is a 19-year-old black male who remains at large.
UPDATE: The suspect is a black male and considered armed and dangerous. More information will be shared as it becomes available.
— City of Mt. Pleasant (@MtPleasantMI) March 2, 2018
The Detroit Free Press adds that police believe the shooter may not have left campus. The campus paper, CMLife, confirms this detail.
We just spoke with an officer on scene. As of now, the alleged shooter is still on the premises. https://t.co/wSyCS5rgsL
— CM Life (@CMLIFE) March 2, 2018
UPDATE #1 – 12:15pm EST: CMU follows up with a tweet to further confirm the two deaths, reportedly of non-students. Campus police “believe the situation started from a domestic situation,” and the gunman still has not been apprehended.
CMU police confirm two individuals were fatally shot at Campbell Hall on campus this morning. The deceased are not students and police believe the situation started from a domestic situation. There are no additional injuries; suspect is still at large: https://t.co/AxvPn3N0s0
— Central Michigan U. (@CMUniversity) March 2, 2018
UPDATE #2 – 11:00pm EST: CNN reports that the shooter has been identified as James Eric David, Jr, who killed his parents in his dormitory. He’s still at large and considered armed and dangerous. Police are still considering this shooting “a family-type domestic issue at this point.”
(Via CBS News, NBC 9, Detroit Free Press & CM Life)