College homecoming celebrations often involve wild partying. Unfortunately, the partying became fatal as Grambling State in Monroe, Louisiana, celebrated its homecoming. According to police, two men were allegedly shot and killed by a third man, who is now the principal suspect in the incident. If captured, the suspect will undoubtedly face serious criminal charges.
According to the police account of the incident, the three men became involved in an altercation in a room in one of the nearby dormitories. The fight escalated and spilled into the courtyard in front of the dorms. One of the men allegedly shot the other two and immediately fled the scene. One of the dead men was a student at Grambling, and the other was alleged to have been a childhood friend but not a student at the school. His presence on the campus was unexplained.
Police say that they have a nickname of a possible suspect, but no one has been arrested or charged in the crimes. The school was locked down during the first hours after the shootings, but the lockdown has been lifted, and campus life is returning to normal. Grambling’s president said that Governor John Bel Edwards had promised to send additional state troopers to Grambling to help in the search for the suspect and in maintaining campus security.
Many questions must be answered in this case. What caused the original altercation? Did the suspect act in self-defense? What motives may have led to the shootings? If the suspect is apprehended, he will be entitled to be presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. An independent investigation by a capable criminal defense attorney might uncover evidence that could provide the basis for a successful defense of the case or a favorable plea agreement.
Source: Monroe News Star, “UPDATE: Police to report on Grambling shooting suspect by midday,” Barbara Leader and Ashley Mott, Oct. 25, 2017