Deadly Shooting at South Carolina State University Prompts Extended Lockdown
A tragic shooting incident unfolded on the campus of South Carolina State University in Orangeburg on Thursday night, resulting in two fatalities and one individual wounded. The violence occurred inside a room at the Hugine Suites residential complex, leading to a campus-wide lockdown that persisted for nearly eight hours, according to official university statements.
Lockdown and Investigation Details
The university administration implemented the lockdown order at approximately 9:15 PM, which remained in effect until around 5 AM on Friday. During this period, the campus was secured as law enforcement responded to the emergency. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has taken charge of the investigation, confirming that one victim died at the scene while another succumbed to injuries later at a hospital. The condition of the wounded man has not been immediately disclosed, and authorities have withheld the identities of the deceased pending notification of families.
Further information regarding the victims is expected to be released by the Orangeburg County Coroner’s Office, though attempts to reach the office for comment were unsuccessful at the time of reporting. Investigators maintained a presence on site overnight, with officers conducting patrols across the campus and adjacent areas to ensure safety.
Witness Accounts and Campus Response
Kaya Mack, a witness who was on campus completing a food delivery, described chaotic moments to WLTX-TV. She reported hearing gunshots and observing police vehicles rapidly entering through a gate, with their sirens causing alarm among those present. “Their loud sirens kind of shook me,” Mack stated, according to the Associated Press. “We were looking around, me and other people on campus, we’re all looking around like ‘What’s going on?’”
In response to the incident, the university canceled all classes on Friday and made counseling services available to students and staff to address the emotional impact. This shooting marks another violent episode on campus, occurring just over four months after two separate shootings during homecoming celebrations on October 4. One of those earlier incidents, which took place near the same Hugine Suites complex, resulted in the death of a 19-year-old woman and injuries to a man, leading to several arrests on gun-related charges.
Historical Context and Security Measures
Following the October shootings, university President Alexander Conyers announced enhanced security protocols, including the installation of new fencing along the campus perimeter and increased patrols to monitor pedestrian access. Repairs were also initiated for damaged perimeter barriers. In preparation for a Youth and Reserve Officers' Training Corps Day scheduled for November 1, officials planned to add a second layer of fencing between Hugine Suites and Goff Street, with ongoing repairs along the boundary shared with Claflin University.
South Carolina State University, founded in 1896, is the state's only public historically Black university, enrolling more than 2,900 students. The campus community recently commemorated the 58th anniversary of the Orangeburg Massacre, a tragic event on February 8, 1968, when officers fired on Black students protesting segregation, killing three young men. As of now, no arrests have been announced in connection with Thursday night’s shooting, and the investigation by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division continues actively.
