Shooting at Kentucky State Leaves 1 Student Dead

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A shooting at a Kentucky State University residence hall left one student dead and another in critical condition Tuesday afternoon.

In a statement to NBC News, the Frankfort Police Department said it had responded to an “active aggressor” on the historically Black university’s campus. The university went on lockdown, and university police and the local sheriff’s office secured the campus.

Kentucky governor Andy Beshear said in a video message Tuesday evening that the shooting seems to be an isolated incident, not a mass shooting.

“That means, while this was scary, there is no ongoing threat, and I believe our families are safe,” Beshear said. “But please, pray, pray for those who have been injured” and for students who “might be rightfully scared.”

A press conference held by the Frankfort Police Department and Kentucky State University on Tuesday night confirmed that the suspected shooter, who is not a student, is in custody.

Kentucky State University president Koffi C. Akakpo thanked law enforcement and said the campus is in mourning.

“As the parents, I cannot imagine receiving the call,” he said.

The incident comes after multiple HBCU campuses were shaken by shootings during their homecoming seasons this fall.