Classes Canceled For Rest Of The Week At Bowie State University Following Campus Shooting

BOWIE, MD — Classes have been canceled for the rest of the week at Bowie State University to help students, staff and others take care of their mental well-being after two people were injured in a shooting that happened during homecoming celebrations last week on campus.

"Starting at 12 p.m. today, all classes for the rest of the week are cancelled to provide additional time for everyone to address their mental well-being. We encourage you to take this time to connect with resources, reach out to friends and loved ones, or seek support if needed," the university stated on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Police confirmed that the two individuals shot were not Bowie State or Morgan State students.

"It is exceedingly disturbing that gun violence is increasingly finding its way into the safe havens of our university campuses. While the significant increase of police and security officers throughout the Bowie State campus this weekend enabled a quick response to the scene, the fact that individuals brazenly discharged a weapon is disheartening. I know that many of our students have been impacted by this incident," BSU President Aminta H. Breaux said.

Saturday, Oct. 7, around 11:30 p.m., troopers from the Maryland State Police College Park Barrack, who were assisting Bowie State University with security during homecoming weekend, responded to the school’s Center for Business and Graduate Studies on Henry Circle for a report of a shooting.

According to a preliminary investigation, two men, both 19, were found injured in front of the Center for Business and Graduate Studies and were taken by ambulance by the Prince George’s County Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries, believed to be non-life-threatening. Maryland State Police Major Kenny Brown said one weapon was found, and investigators believe there may have been more than one shooter, WBAL-TV reported. He said the shooting was an isolated incident and there is no threat to others.

In response to the shooting, campus police ordered a shelter-in-place that was lifted around 3 a.m., university Police Chief Mark Cummings said. Bowie State President Aminta Breaux spoke at a press conference about how the violence marred the joy and happiness on campus of the past week from the homecoming celebrations.

"Our campus community is very much a peaceful community. And so this is not normal for Bowie State University," Breaux said, FOX Baltimore reported.

The Bowie State shootings come five days after a Tuesday night shooting at Morgan State University in Baltimore that wounded five people and prompted an hours-long lockdown. Authorities did not identify any potential suspects at a Friday news conference but announced a $9,000 reward was available for information leading to an arrest in the Morgan State case.

After the Mark Cummings, Bowie State's police chief and director of public safety, said last week that the university deployed more unarmed and armed officers on campus, security teams would be out on bikes and have walking beats, and metal detectors and security wands would be at homecoming events, NBC Washington reported. He also said security cameras would be upgraded and enhanced, and more lights would be installed in dark areas around campus.

The Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division is leading the investigation with assistance provided by troopers from the College Park Barrack and the Bowie State Police Department. Prince George’s County Police also assisted at the scene. Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to call the Bowie State Police tips line at 301-860-4688.

Related:

• 2 Shot On Bowie State Campus As Homecoming Week Ends
• Police Seek 2 Shooters In Morgan State University Shooting