2 DEAD, 4 WOUNDED IN 2 UNIVERSITY SHOOTINGS
Northern Arizona, Texas Southern are latest schools reeling from campus fatalities; four people wounded
Just one week after a fatal school shooting in Oregon left 10 people dead, including the gunman, news broke of two more fatal campus shootings — one at Northern Arizona University and another at Texas Southern University.
Amale freshman at Northern Arizona University opened fire on a group of fellow students on the Flagstaff campus early Friday during a confrontation in a dormitory parking lot, killing one student and injuring three more, the campus police chief said.
The 18- year- old suspect was identified as Steven Jones, an NAU student, said NAU police chief Gregory Fowler.
In Houston, a shooting at a student housing complex left one dead and another wounded, according to police.
Fowler told reporters that the suspect at Northern Arizona University did not leave the scene and was arrested without incident. He said the suspect was cooperating with police. The shooting occurred around 1: 20 a. m. local time.
“Two separate student groups got into a confrontation, the confrontation turned physical, and one of our students, Steven Jones, 18, produced a handgun and shot four of our other students,”
Fowler said.
The victims — all males — were shot “multiple times,” he said.
School administrators identified the wounded as Nicholas Prato, Kyle Zientek and Nicholas Piring and said the deceased student is Colin Brough.
Prato, Zientek and Piring were being treated for gunshot wounds at Flagstaff Medical Center, according to a statement from the university. A hospital representative declined to provide any information on their conditions.
Jones appeared in court Friday via a video feed from a Coconino County jail. Jones bowed his head as the charges were read against him: one count of first- degree murder and three counts of aggravated assault.
He gave his name and his family’s address in Glendale, saying he had lived there his entire life.
Burges McCowan, a private attorney hired to defend Jones, asked that Jones be released into the custody of his parents, arguing that he was a lifelong resident and had no serious criminal history. “He has no other place to go,” McCowan said. “He is not a flight risk.”
Deputy Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker answered that first- degree murder is a capital offense and is not bailable when there is strong evidence against a suspect. Judge Paul Christian set bail at $ 2 million and scheduled a preliminary hearing for Oct. 15.
The mood on campus Fridaymorning was somber on a day when few students schedule classes.
Anna Valdez, a 20- year- old from Southern California, said she was awakened about 4 a. m. by family members who had heard about the shooting.
“This is not something that happens here. We’re a really close- knit community. Everyone is just shocked and speechless,” Valdez said.
John Karter, an NAU sophomore, said Brough had been a friend he met through Greek activities, although they belonged to different fraternities.
“I lost a good friend today,” he said. “I don’t want to believe it’s true.”
The shooting erupted in a parking lot outside the Mountain View Hall dormitory, Fowler said. The dorm houses members of fraternities and sororities. Fowler had said that it wasn’t immediately clear whether any members of the Greek organizations were involved. But the national chapter of Delta Chi Fraternity in Iowa City released a statement confirming members’ involvement.
The NAU Delta Chi president confirmed that all three of the men wounded in Friday’s shooting are members of the fraternity.
Fowler said state law prohibits anyone from carrying a gun on campus but that gun owners are allowed to keep a weapon in a locked area of a car on campus.
The university, which has an enrollment of around 20,000, was not placed on lockdown, although an emergency alert sent out by the school asked students to remain indoors.
NAU President Rita Cheng called the shootings an “isolated and unprecedented incident” and assured students that the campus was safe. Cheng said classes would continue as normal Friday but that “this isnot going to be a normal day at NAU.” “Our hearts are heavy,” she said. In Houston, University spokesman Kendrick Callis said a shooting was reported around 11: 30 a. m. Friday, the campus was placed on lockdown and classes were canceled. The lockdown was lifted Friday afternoon.