What happened
One person was killed and three others were wounded in two separate shootings on the campus of Winston-Salem State University in North Carolina on Saturday, according to NBC News. The shootings came on the day of the school's homecoming football game.
Police received the call late Saturday night. Emergency services audio obtained by NBC News captured an officer reporting that one victim had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. In another recording, an officer asked for a second ambulance.
The university's team, the WSSU Rams, had played the Fayetteville State Broncos earlier that day.
What police are saying
At a press conference early Sunday morning, police described the investigations as being in their "very preliminary" stages, NBC News reported. They gave no details about arrests or suspects.
Jason Swaim, assistant chief of the Field Services Bureau for the Winston-Salem Police Department, sought to reassure the public. "What we can tell you is campus is secure. The surrounding community is secure," he said.
Swaim said investigators were trying to establish whether the two shootings were connected. He offered condolences to families, friends and anyone who witnessed the violence, and said more officers would be on campus in the coming days. He also noted the contrast with the occasion, saying, "Homecoming is traditionally a time of celebration and connection."
The university's response
The remaining homecoming events planned for Sunday were canceled, including one at Emmanuel Baptist Church, according to a statement from Chancellor Bonita J. Brown.
Brown extended her condolences to the family of the person who died and said she was praying for those who were hurt. She acknowledged that people in the campus community "may have witnessed or experienced things that no one should have to endure." She encouraged students and staff to use the university's counseling services and to keep following instructions from police while the investigation continues.
Brown closed her message by invoking the school's sense of community. "Throughout our history, Winston-Salem State University has faced challenges, but we have always found strength in one another," she wrote, adding, "That is what it means to be part of the Ramily and to be Ram strong."
What remains unknown
Based on the information released so far, several basic questions remain unanswered. Police have not said who was responsible, what led to either shooting, or whether the two incidents are related. The identities of the victims and the condition of the three wounded people were not provided in the reporting.
Winston-Salem State is a historically Black university, and homecoming is one of the busiest and most closely watched weekends on its calendar. Investigators have said only that their work is early, and further details are expected as it progresses.
