HOUSTON — It was a scary morning at Prairie View A&M University Monday following a deadly shooting on campus.
In a statement, PVAMU said an employee was shot and killed by a former employee at the Governor Bill and Vara Daniel Farm and Ranch around 9:30 a.m. The unidentified suspect worked on the farm, police said.
No students were injured, the university said.
Campus police officers spotted a vehicle matching the suspect's leaving the area and arrested the driver, PVAMU Police Chief Michael Curry said.
“I was actually walking back from class and I saw all the police here and then you can hear them like telling him, 'Put your hands up, put your hands up!'" freshman Makayla Reeves said. "It’s definitely scary, especially because it’s early in the morning, people trying to get to class, walking in and out of the dorms."
Curry said other officers found the victim with multiple gunshot wounds and tried to perform "life-saving measures" until EMS arrived but the man didn't survive. His name hasn't been released.
After the shooting, an alert went out to students and staff urging everyone to stay inside. The campus in Waller County was under a shelter-in-place until about 12:40 p.m. when the all-clear was given. In-person classes were canceled for the rest of the day.
PVAMU statement on shooting
This morning, an incident isolated to the Governor Bill and Vera Daniels Farm and Ranch involving a former employee resulted in a shelter-in-place notification to the campus community. Through the swift action of campus law enforcement, the suspect was detained and taken into custody. No students were injured, however one victim, a current PVAMU employee, sustained life-threatening injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
As our campus mourns, the University has canceled all in-person classes for the remainder of the day. Faculty and staff are encouraged to communicate with their immediate supervisor, should they need time off to process today’s unfortunate event.
Our hearts go out to family, friends, and all impacted by this tragedy. Individuals needing counseling or related support may do so through Student Counseling Services (students) and the Employee Assistance Program (employees).
The Prairie View A&M University Police Department is leading the investigation.
7 shot during Trail Ride party near PVAMU on 11/5
A week ago, seven people were wounded in a mass shooting at a trail ride pasture party held near Prairie View A&M University, according to the Waller County Sheriff's Office. There's no indication that Monday's shooting was related to the Nov. 5 case.
Investigators said a juvenile male, four women and two men were shot while attending the party on Cameron Road near FM 362.
“We’ve had multiple gunshot victims…we do have several EMS en route…,” Waller County Dispatch said over the radio. “Right of the stage…right of the stage…that’s where the victims are going to be at this time…”
WCSO said all of the victims suffered gunshot wounds to their lower bodies, with no known life-threatening injuries.
No arrests have been reported.
Investigators said the trail ride event was being held in conjunction with a Prairie View A&M homecoming party but PVAMU said it was "not an official University homecoming event."
WCSO said the shooting started as an argument that escalated when someone pulled out a gun and bystanders were shot.
“I was front row,” a witness told KHOU 11. “They were fighting. After they got done fighting, a girl got shot.”
“People were running, stomping on people,” Josh Tillery, a Waller County resident, said. “We were standing, and a girl walked up saying, ‘I think I’ve been shot.’”
Tillery said hundreds parked illegally on the land he farms and that this event comes with trouble every year.
“What’s it going to take? Somebody to get shot every year to stop this?” he said. “This is crazy. It doesn’t even make sense.”
Caleb Pete, one of the event organizers, said the nonprofit PV Trail Ride has hosted this event for three years and this was the first major incident.
Prairie View A&M releases statement on Nov. 5 shooting
Prairie View A&M released the following statement Monday morning in the incident:
"PVAMU is both saddened and troubled by the senseless act of violence that occurred in Waller County last night. Although this was not an official PVAMU homecoming event and was unaffiliated with the university, our campus community is deeply concerned for those injured and all affected by this incident. The Waller County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation."