Suspect arrested following mass shooting at Tuskegee University homecoming

TUSKEGEE, Ala. (TCN) -- Law enforcement arrested a 25-year-old man following a mass shooting at a Tuskegee University homecoming after-party that left one dead and 16 injured.

According to a statement, in the early morning hours of Sunday, Nov. 10, at around 1:40 a.m., the Macon County Sheriff’s Office reached out to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA) for assistance in a shooting investigation at Tuskegee University.

ALEA said an 18-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene and 16 others were transported to local hospitals. Twelve of those injured sustained gunshot-related wounds, while the other four did not. The school said the deceased victim, identified by AL.com as La’Tavion Johnson, was not a student.

ALEA said in an update that agents arrested Jaquez Myrick on a federal charge of possession of a machine gun. Officials reportedly found Myrick leaving the party with a handgun that could turn into a machine gun with a conversion device. So far, no one has been charged in connection with Johnson’s death or the other injuries.

La’Tavion Johnson’s father, Larry Johnson, told AL.com that a video circulating on social media of a woman saying a man pushed her out of the way to safety and he ended up getting killed.

"He’s a hero in his own way," Larry Johnson said.

Larry Johnson described his son as "energetic" and "shy until he got to know you and then he was life of any party."

Johnson reportedly lived in Troy, Alabama, and was supposed to start a new job with the Alabama Department of Transportation next week.

Tuskegee University, one of the historically Black colleges and universities, was celebrating its 100th Homecoming Week when the shooting occurred. Tuskegee Police Chief Patrik Mardis told AL.com one female student was shot in the stomach and another in the arm.

Mardis said the scene was chaotic and "some idiots started shooting. You couldn’t get the emergency vehicles in there, there were so many people there."

Tuskegee University canceled classes Monday and Tuesday and issued new safety protocols for students. The school’s statement said, "The university experienced an exceptional Homecoming weekend, and this event has tarnished it. Asking for help is a sign of strength and not weakness. Standing strong together is also the Tuskegee way."

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