Morgan State University to Build Wall Around Campus After Shooting Incident
By LEA SKENE Associated Press
October 10, 2023, 8:20 PM ET
BALTIMORE — Following a shooting incident that left five people injured during homecoming festivities, Morgan State University leaders have announced plans to construct a wall around most of the northeast Baltimore campus. The university also intends to station security personnel at entrances and exits.
The proposed wall would extend existing barriers by approximately 8,000 feet (2,400 meters), effectively enclosing 90% of the campus. The aim is to “eliminate unfettered access” and increase safety measures, according to Morgan State University President David Wilson, who made the announcement during a campus town hall meeting.
Wilson addressed a filled auditorium, speaking to students, faculty, and staff of the historically Black university. He clarified that the purpose of the wall is not to isolate the university from the surrounding community, but rather to prevent “bad actors” from entering the campus.
The decision to build the wall comes in the aftermath of the shooting incident that occurred during a coronation ceremony for this year’s Mister and Miss Morgan State on the night of October 3. In response, university leaders canceled classes and homecoming activities for the remainder of the week. With the prevalence of gun violence in American schools, ensuring student safety has become a pressing concern for educational institutions nationwide.
During the campus town hall, Wilson and other officials faced a barrage of questions from students and staff demanding to know if more could have been done to prevent the shooting. The students were making their way from an auditorium to the campus student center, where a coronation ball was scheduled, when the gunfire erupted.
The campus was immediately put on lockdown, with students advised to shelter in place due to the initial suspicion of an active shooter threat. While no arrests have been made, Baltimore police have released surveillance images of persons of interest and appealed to the public for assistance in identifying them. The police believe the violence arose from a dispute involving two shooters, and that the five victims, including four Morgan State students, were not intended targets. Fortunately, all the victims were released from local hospitals last week.
University officials have stated that significant security upgrades were already in progress prior to the shooting. However, in light of the incident, these upgrades will now be expedited. Alongside the construction of the wall, other security measures being considered include the installation of additional metal detectors in campus buildings, exploration of weapons detection technology, increased police patrols, and the construction of more security guard booths. The estimated cost for these measures exceeds $22 million.
Morgan State University has unfortunately experienced violence during previous homecoming celebrations. In October 2022, a young man was shot at an unsanctioned homecoming after-party on campus. Similarly, in the previous year, a freshman was arrested and charged with shooting his classmate over homecoming weekend.
The university, which currently has approximately 9,000 students, was founded in 1867 with the initial mission of training men for ministry. It relocated to its current site in northeast Baltimore in 1917 and was acquired by the state of Maryland in 1939 to provide greater opportunities for Black citizens.
President Wilson began his presentation at the town hall by reinforcing the university’s mission and core values. He shared that he had spoken to the injured students earlier that day, and one of them conveyed a message to the university community: “Today may look grim but tomorrow is bright.”
Wilson also assured attendees that the homecoming ball, which was disrupted by the shooting incident, will be rescheduled.