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
Two Brothers and Their Sister Found Dead Inside Mount Holly Home After Postal Worker Discovers 911 Note
MOUNT HOLLY, N.J. — Law enforcement officials are investigating the deaths of three individuals after a postal worker made a disturbing discovery at a Mount Holly residence on Friday, November 6.
Emergency responders were dispatched to a home on Winding Way after a mail carrier noticed a heavily taped, handwritten message on the front door instructing anyone who saw it to call 911.
The note reportedly contained drawings of two unhappy faces with crosses over their eyes alongside the text “9-1-1 Inside.”
Upon entering the residence, responding Mount Holly Police officers discovered three deceased individuals inside the home.
Preliminary reports indicate that officers encountered a significant amount of blood within the property, though official investigators have not yet publicly detailed the exact scene conditions.
While law enforcement has not formally released the victims’ names pending official identification and next-of-kin notifications, neighbors identified the deceased as three siblings in their 60s who had resided in the neighborhood for many years: Roslyn (or Rosalind) Monk, Randy Monk, and William “Will” Monk.
Community members described the residents as quiet and friendly, expressing shock over the sudden tragedy in their neighborhood.
The Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office, in coordination with the Mount Holly Township Police Department, has launched a full investigation into the incident.
Autopsies are currently underway by medical examiners to determine the exact cause and manner of death for all three individuals.
Officials have not yet confirmed whether foul play or a homicide is suspected, and no information regarding potential suspects has been released.
Our deepest thoughts, prayers, and condolences go out to the family, loved ones, and Mount Holly community affected by this devastating loss.