Bowie State University is trying to pick up the pieces and move forward after a shooting on campus during homecoming weekend.
On Monday, the school held a community conversation at the student center.
“We are gathered together as one community (to) reclaim our community,” university President Aminta Breaux said.
She told students, staff and others in attendance that the school is looking at all aspects of security following the shooting on campus Saturday night, which wounded two people.
Breaux, as well as campus Police Chief Mark Cummings and Assistant Vice President for Alumni Relations Darren Swain, all made reference at the meeting to an outside element coming on campus and disrupting the peace.
“There were individuals on our campus who were harmed, who were shot, and we hope and pray for their speedy recovery,” Breaux said. “But we need to find out the root of how these things come to happen.”
Cummings called the people who came onto the campus “bad actors” who were not students from any university and who “decided to do something that is not equitable for us.”
Police have said an “outside element” is to blame for the shooting, but they have not named any suspects.
Bowie State freshman Julian Clarkson said that it was surprising how many people were on campus for homecoming, adding that it seemed like more than a thousand.
“Inviting Morgan (State University), and then just having a campus as open as this, anything can happen here really,” Clarkson said. Morgan State University’s homecoming events were canceled following a shooting last week that injured five people.
Clarkson agreed that it appears someone from outside the university is responsible.
“It’s really despicable what people will do, ruining other people’s peace and fun,” Clarkson said.
