A woman was killed during an on-campus shooting at Delaware State University over the weekend, and a manhunt for the suspect or suspects is underway.
The victim is an 18-year-old woman, who hasn't been identified yet. She wasn't a registered student, according to a statement by the school president.
"Violence of any kind, particularly gun violence, happens too often on college campuses – large and small – throughout the country," DSU President Tony Allen said in a letter to the community.
"It does not make it acceptable, and it will never be rationalized away, minimized, or normalized here. Let us make sure we are collectively resolute on this point."
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Gunshots rang out around 1:40 a.m. on Sunday in the area of freshman housing - Warren-Franklin Hall - and responding officers found the victim with a gunshot wound to her upper body, Dover police said.
She was rushed to an area hospital, where she died.
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The woman's name hasn't been released until next of kin is notified. As of Monday morning, police don't have a description of a suspect (or suspects).
"The young lady tragically killed was merely 18 years old," the university president said. "Although she was not one of our students, she was a daughter, a beloved family member, and a friend; and, senselessly, her life was cut short.
"We should pray for better days and pray for the safety and well-being of our campus as a whole."
What sparked the fatal shooting, and the details surrounding the incident remain under investigation, according to police.
Tony Allen, the university president, said resident assistants worked with leadership and authorities "to diffuse a tense situation."
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But it's another example of on-campus crimes spiking after a decade of steady decline from 2010 to 2020, when crime bottomed out because of the pandemic.
But there's a recent uptick, according to the latest crime stats from the Department of Education.
There were 38,303 reported criminal offenses at colleges and universities in 2022, which is the federal government's latest data based on 5,783 institutions with 10,530 campuses.
To put the number in perspective, there were about 21,200 reported incidents in 2020, according to a September 2023 report by the National Center for Education Statistics.
Allen alluded to the national upswing in on-campus crimes, which doesn't take into account the aftermath of Hamas' invasion of Isreal on Oct. 7, 2023 and current protests, in his strongly worded letter.
"Let me say that whoever believes that settling disagreements of any kind should be met with physical violence - including the threat of and eventual use of firearms - is simply not welcomed here," the university president wrote.
"An event that affects the safety of one of us affects all of us. That means each of us is responsible for holding one another accountable, saying so when something does not seem, sound, or look right, and denying wrongdoing in all its forms, no matter the person or the circumstance."
Classes are scheduled to resume Tuesday, and the university will hold a forum for students, staff, faculty and parents.
Meanwhile, police are tracking down leads to find the shooter.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Dover Police Department at (302)736-7130. Callers may remain anonymous.
Tips may also be submitted to law enforcement through Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-TIP-3333 or online at delaware.crimestoppersweb.com; a cash reward is possible for information leading to an arrest.
