Representative image of being arrested.
Credit: iStock Photo
A 25-year-old man was charged in connection with a shooting on the campus of Tuskegee University in Alabama early Sunday that left one person dead and a dozen others wounded as crowds gathered for the school's homecoming celebration, authorities said.
The man, Jaquez Myrick, of Montgomery, was arrested Sunday and charged under federal law with possessing a machine gun, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said on Facebook.
Officers found Myrick leaving the scene of the shooting with a handgun equipped with a machine gun conversion device, the agency said. It was not immediately clear what led to the shooting, which took place about 1:40 am.
The identity of the person who was killed was not released. The victim, who was 18 years old, was not a student at the university, the university said in a statement.
"The parents of this individual have been notified," the university said. "Several others, including Tuskegee University students, were injured."
Twelve people were wounded in the shooting and taken to hospitals, authorities said. Their conditions were not immediately clear Sunday. Four other people were hurt.
The shooting took place as crowds gathered at the historically Black liberal arts university, which has 3,000 students, to celebrate the last day of its 100th homecoming week, which began November 3.
In a video posted on social media, a young woman could be heard shouting "Get down! Get down!" as she and others ducked behind a car during the gunfire.
The university is in the city of Tuskegee, which has a population of about 8,700 residents and is about 40 miles east of the state capital of Montgomery.
The homecoming celebration included a parade, concerts and a football game between Tuskegee and Miles College on Saturday.
"We extend our deepest condolences to those impacted and pray for healing and justice," Miles College said in a statement Sunday. "Miles College stands with you in this difficult time."
Tuskegee University said it canceled Monday's classes.