Source: The Washington Post / Getty
At least two people were shot on the campus of a historically Black college in Maryland just days after gunfire left at least five people hurt on the campus of a different HBCU in the state during a time when both institutions were supposed to be enjoying their annual homecoming festivities.
Gun violence erupted on the campus of Bowie State University in suburban Washington, D.C., on Saturday night near its Center for Business and Graduate Studies, according to NBC Washington. At least two unidentified men, both 19, were left with gunshot wounds. Neither the nature of their conditions nor whether there were any arrest was not immediately reported.
MORE: Op-Ed: Urgent Measures Are Needed To Protect HBCUs
The shootings at Bowie State University came after the school announced it would be enhancing campus security in the wake of a mass shooting on the campus of Morgan State University in Baltimore.
A Morgan State University campus police car sits in front of the Murphy Fine Arts Center on October 4, 2023, in Baltimore, Maryland. | Source: Anna Moneymaker / Getty
On Tuesday night, just as Morgan State’s annual weeklong homecoming activities had begun, police said at least two gunmen opened fire near residential buildings. Of the five people injured by the gunfire there, four were students.
The on-campus shootings at Morgan State — the school’s third during its homecoming week in as many years — prompted it to cancel homecoming for the first time in school history.
The cancellation sparked a wave of compassion from fellow Black colleges, which stood in solidarity with Morgan State.
Part of that outpouring of support included Bowie State inviting Morgan State students to travel about 45 minutes south to Prince George’s County to attend its homecoming football game against Virginia State University on Saturday afternoon.
“We stand in solidarity and welcome @MorganStBears to enjoy the celebrations of Homecoming at Bowie State. Together, we are HBCU Strong,” Bowie State posted on the social media app formerly known as Twitter. “We’re offering a free game ticket to @MorganStBears students!”
We stand in solidarity and welcome @MorganStBears to enjoy the celebrations of Homecoming at Bowie State. Together, we are HBCU Strong.
We’re offering a free game ticket to @MorganStBears students! : https://t.co/jpMamndSjY#BulldogNation #BiteDown #HBCUStrong #WeStandWithMSU pic.twitter.com/TYKmmdEaMV
— Bowie State Athletics (@BSU_Sports_Info) October 6, 2023
Days earlier, Bowie State announced it had taken steps to bolster its campus security for its own homecoming festivities.
“There’s going to be an event probably every day where we have to adjust and change,” Mark Cummings, Bowie State’s police chief and director of public safety, told NBC Washington at the time.
The benevolent gesture from Bowie State was among the overtures being made by HBCUs in the wake of this week’s mass shooting that injured at least five people — including four students — described as “unintended” targets. Law enforcement has said there were two gunmen, but they remained unidentified and at large nearly a full week later.
The Baltimore Police Department appealed to the public for help and announced a $9,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and protection of anyone responsible for the shooting.
The shootings at Morgan State and now Bowie State took place at a time when HBCU leaders and advocates have been demanding more funding from the federal government to further secure historically Black college campuses.
Lodriguez V. Murray, UNCF’s senior vice president for public policy and government affairs, said in August that Congress hasn’t matched the urgency shown by the situation at hand.
“All year long, we have asked Congress to protect HBCUs, and now is the time to pass the Homeland Security appropriations bill with language that directs the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) to provide $100 million for HBCUs (annually) via the non-profit grants’ security program,” Murray said in a statement. “This program must administer the funds directly to HBCUs, not by the state governments. This will help HBCUs to be protected against threats by increasing security, developing plans on how to respond beyond simply calling the police, heighten the use of technology to monitor campus entry points, and make our environments the safe haven for learning they should be for the sake—and mental health and security—of our students.”
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The post Double Shooting Mars Bowie State’s Homecoming Days After Mass Shooting At Morgan State appeared first on NewsOne.
