Crime
Victim killed in Tuskegee University Homecoming shooting identified as Latavion Johnson
In video clips circulated on social media, the rapid sounds of shots echo while people react in panic.
On Sunday, November 10, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) State Bureau of Investigation (SBI), responding to a request from the Macon County Sheriff’s Office, began an investigation into a tragic shooting at Tuskegee University. Around 1:40 a.m., Special Agents received reports of multiple gunshot victims on campus.
The violence unfolded just hours after the historically Black university’s 100th homecoming celebration.
Macon County Coroner Hal Bentley has identified the deceased teenager as Latavion Johnson, a resident of Troy who was not enrolled at Tuskegee University.
According to officials, Johnson, who was not associated with Tuskegee University, died from his injuries.
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Lt. Jeremy Burkett reported that the incident occurred around 1:40 a.m., with dozens of shots ringing out near the West Commons apartment complex.
A total of 16 individuals were injured in the incident: twelve sustained gunshot wounds and were transported to hospitals in Montgomery and Lee counties, while four others experienced non-gunfire-related injuries.
The State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) has since been on-site, working diligently to collect and analyze evidence, while local and campus law enforcement secured the area and assisted emergency responders.
Witnesses at the scene described a chaotic moment when gunfire broke out, sending students and bystanders scrambling for cover behind vehicles and crouching to avoid stray bullets.
In video clips circulated on social media, the rapid sounds of shots echo while people react in panic.
Tuskegee city Police Chief Jennifer Mardis noted that campus access was particularly challenging for emergency responders due to the large crowds, emphasizing that “there were so many people there; you couldn’t get the emergency vehicles in.”
Tuskegee Police Chief Mardis, a former university campus police chief himself, stated that he had always feared such a tragedy on campus, saying, “You see it happen everywhere. It’s happened everywhere else but us.”
He later disclosed that a female student was wounded in her abdomen, while a male student sustained a gunshot wound to the arm. Authorities are actively investigating the incident, though no arrests have yet been made, and the motive remains unclear.
Tuskegee University leaders and students are grappling with the incident. During a somber convocation service on Sunday morning, Student Government Association President Amare’ Hardee spoke to the emotional toll the shooting had taken on the campus.
“Our gathering is shadowed by a heartbreaking event…this senseless act of violence has touched each of us,” he said, expressing sympathy for the victims and their families. Board of Trustees Chair Norma B. Clayton echoed these sentiments, encouraging unity and resilience within the Tuskegee community: “In tough times, tough people band together and survive. We’ve been surviving for 143 years, and I think we can continue to survive even more.”
The university has received messages of support, including from nearby Miles College, who extended their condolences to Tuskegee students, faculty, and staff during this tragic time.
ALEA is appealing to the public for assistance with the investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to call 1-800-CALL-FBI, and digital evidence can be uploaded directly at fbi.gov/tuskegeeshooting24.
Tuskegee University has canceled all classes scheduled for Monday, November 11, to allow law enforcement to continue processing the scene. Grief counseling services will be available for students at the campus chapel.
The investigation is ongoing, and further details will be released as they become available.
Crime
Noemi Hernandez, Mother of Four Murdered By Her Husband Hector Luvianos Two Days Before Christmas
BATAVIA, Ill. — A devastating domestic homicide has left a family and community in mourning just days before Christmas.
Noemi Hernandez, a devoted mother of four, was fatally attacked in the early morning hours of Tuesday, Dec. 23, in what prosecutors allege was a violent act committed by her husband.
The incident occurred at an apartment building in the 100 block of Church Street in Batavia.
According to court records and police reports, at approximately 4:37 a.m., Batavia police were dispatched after a man contacted emergency dispatchers and stated that he had killed his wife.
Responding officers located the man outside the apartment building and took him into custody without incident.
When officers entered the apartment, they found Hernandez suffering from severe, life-threatening injuries.
First responders immediately attempted life-saving measures; however, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the suspect as Hector B. Luvianos, 37, who was transported to the Batavia Police Department for questioning.
With assistance from the Kane County Major Crimes Task Force, investigators determined the incident was domestic-related and involved only the two individuals. Police emphasized that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
On Dec. 24, 2025, Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser and Batavia Police Chief Eric Blowers announced that Luvianos has been formally charged with first-degree murder, a Class M felony under Illinois law.
He appeared in court the same day for a pretrial detention hearing, after which a judge ordered him held in the Kane County Jail while the case proceeds.
The Kane County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene, and an autopsy is scheduled to determine the official cause and manner of Hernandez’s death.
In the wake of the tragedy, Hernandez’s family has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover funeral and related expenses.
In the fundraiser, the family described Noemi as “the heart of her family,” noting that she worked tirelessly, loved deeply, and always placed her children first. Her sudden death, they wrote, has left the family emotionally devastated and financially unprepared.
As an immigrant family with limited resources and no life insurance, they now face the burden of funeral and cremation costs, legal fees, and other unexpected expenses, all while supporting four children grieving the loss of their mother.
The family is asking for community support to allow them to lay Noemi to rest with dignity and focus on healing rather than financial hardship.
The investigation remains ongoing.