A shooting on the campus of Elizabeth City State University early Sunday left one man dead and six others injured, prompting a campus lockdown and a multi-agency investigation, authorities said.
The violence erupted around 12:30 a.m. in the heart of the historically Black university’s campus, shortly after Yard Fest, the final event of the school’s weeklong Viking Fest celebration, according to university officials and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
The victim, a 24-year-old man who was not enrolled at the university, was pronounced dead at the scene. Colleagues identified him as Isaiah Caldwell, a former student of Morgan State University and a leader of its Groove Phi Groove fraternity.
Four people – including three ECSU students – suffered gunshot wounds, while two additional students were injured during the chaos that followed the gunfire, the university said. None of the injuries are considered life-threatening, and all the injured were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
“The university is deeply saddened by this senseless act. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and all members of the Viking community affected by this tragedy,” ECSU said in a statement.
The campus was placed on lockdown and students were ordered to shelter in place for several hours as law enforcement secured the area. The lockdown was lifted later Sunday, but access to the central campus remained restricted and patrols were increased as a precaution.
Multiple agencies, including ECSU Police, Elizabeth City Police, Pasquotank County Sheriff’s Office, Camden County Sheriff’s Office, and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, are investigating the incident678. Authorities have not said if any arrests have been made or identified a suspect.
ECSU, which enrolls about 2,300 students, is located roughly 50 miles south of Norfolk, Virginia.
Anyone with information is urged to contact ECSU Police at 252-335-3266 or the SBI at 919-662-4500.
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