1) The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) defines a mass shooting as an event in which one or more individuals are “actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area.
“Gunman open fires in a busy Allen, Texas Mall mass shooting, leaving 9 dead.”
2) U.S. statute (the Investigative Assistance for Violent Crimes Act of 2012) states that a “mass killing” is applicable for “3 or more killings in a single incident.”
“A gunman kills three people in a mass shooting in Jacksonville, taregting only black people.”
This simple definition will bring chills down your spine when you realize that the using-in-a-sentence examples are actually real-life news headlines.
While we can debate the various semantics of the definition, gun violence in the U.S. has reached an epidemic status. Whether it’s one gunman, a dispute between groups, or suicide, gun control is the common denominator. According to Gun Archives stats– 14,000+ fatal shootings, 28,000+ nonfatal shootings, and an estimated 18,000+ suicides by gun have been recorded in the 275 days of 2023.
These rampant mass shootings across the country are a reflection of lenient gun control laws and putting the lives of innocent civilians in volatile danger.
And adding another harrowing incident to these statistics, violence erupted at a university campus in Maryland Baltimore.
On the Tuesday night of October 3, 2023, a police patrol car heard gunshots from Morgan State University Campus in Baltimore. The Baltimore police department issued a shelter-in-place order upon finding five wounded victims in the hallway, believing there was still an active shooter. The preliminary investigation found that the dispute between the two groups led to the altercation during the homecoming activities. Classes and football matches were canceled the next day, while some students preferred to leave the campus, scared for their safety.
What Happened at Morgan State University?
Morgan State University was bustling with excitement and cheers as the students prepared for the year’s homecoming events. The Murphy Fine Arts Center auditorium was packed with students enjoying their day off and forgetting the academic stress. As the night went by, it was time to crown the Mister and Miss Morgan State in the lead-up to the football game on Saturday.
But then, reportedly, two groups engaged in a face-off over a dispute. Words escalated into threats, and eventually, guns were pulled out.
At around 9:25 p.m. on Tuesday, October 3, the police heard gunshots while patrolling around the area. The Baltimore Police Department was alerted as the squad immediately stormed into the campus. The police believed there was still an active shooter and covered the entire perimeter. However, they found no one carrying firearms except for five wounded students lying inside the premises.
The victims were immediately taken to the hospital and are reported to be recovering. The police issued a “Shelter-in-place” order, which was lifted on Wednesday. The university alerted students to steer clear of the arts center and Thurgood Marshall Hall.
Maryland Baltimore Mass Shooting Explained
University’s president, David Kwabena Wilson, issued a statement on Wednesday–
“What happened on our campus was such a senseless act of violence perpetrated on our community.”
“It was so disappointing to learn of what took place, especially after what was a family-filled and fun evening of celebrating the pageantry and beauty of our students.”
Five people were severely injured in the shooting, including one woman and four men aged between 18-22.
Baltimore police commissioner Richard Worley stated the events that transpired after the shooting–
“We didn’t open the campus up until our SWAT team had cleared the building where the suspect may have ran, or where we thought the shot came from.”
However, Morgan State University’s history seems to be marred by tragic events right around the homecoming time, as the recent incident is the third shooting in consecutive years.
Previously, a man was shot last October at a homecoming afterparty that was not arranged by the university.
A year before that, a student was shot right at the ending days of the homecoming week. The university has canceled the homecoming activities and the following football matches.
Parents are frustrated over the inadequate security on the campus, while a few students pack their bags to leave for home.
What is your take on the nth mass shooting? Do you think reforms are needed for gun violence, or is it an issue of a specific person?
Let us know in the comments section below.
