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Three students among those injured in shooting near CAU’s campus homecoming weekend

By and FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Updated  October 16, 2022 11:21pm EDT
SW Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

Suspect who fired shots near Clark Atlanta campus still on the run, police say

Atlanta police said the shooting happened near the intersection of Beckwith Street and James P. Brawley Drive. FOX 5's Joi Dukes talked to the students who were there when the shots were fired.

ATLANTA - The celebration of Clark Atlanta University’s homecoming Saturday night went from fun-filled to fearful as a crowd of people outside the library near campus scattered at the sound of gunshots early Sunday morning. 

Atlanta Police said the shooting happened just before 12:30 a.m. near the intersection of Beckwith Street and James P. Brawley Drive.  

"On the first night of homecoming a party got shot up so that was really crazy," CAU freshman Emma Haselrick, told FOX 5. 

According to a CAU spokesperson, the preliminary investigation shows a car driving by fired the shots and four people including—two Clark Atlanta students, one AUC student and another non student—were injured. An ambulance rushed the three of the victims to Grady in stable condition. The fourth victim refused treatment. 

Atlanta police say 4 hurt in early morning shooting near University Center

Police investigated the shooting in southwest Atlanta on Sunday morning near the Morehouse, Spelman and Clark Atlanta campuses.

CAU student Jameah Alston told FOX 5 she was there when it happened. She described the moments she heard the shots and panicked.

"It was a whole bunch of gunshots … it was shot in rounds. Everybody just started running … it was a lot of chaos," Alston recalled. 

She said she believes the shooting and other incidents like it could’ve been prevented with more security on and around campus. 

"I think we need better campus safety, and we need a gated community…our community, our school campus is too open to everybody. They allow everybody on campus," she explained.  

Student Khalil McAdoo told Fox 5 while more security could help, the individuals responsible for the shooting should bear most of the blame. 

"Homecoming week, it should’ve been safe around here, you know? This is not the week to do that," he stated. 

A school spokesperson said CAU Public Safety and Atlanta Police Departments have increased officer patrols in the area as the incident remains under investigation.

In a statement responding to the shooting, CAU’s Police Chief Debra Williams said: "Unfortunately, our students must travel public streets in going between buildings on a daily basis.  We note that the perpetrators were non-students, yet they have access to these thoroughfares. The safety of our students remains our top priority as we continue to work with the City of Atlanta for solutions to senseless violence impacting innocent students and residents."

Atlanta Police said the investigation is ongoing. If you have any information that can help detectives identify the shooter, give the Atlanta Police Department a call.