Spokesman

Issue date: 10/3/07 Section: World News

Police arrested student Loyer Braden around 3:30am on Sept 21 for his suspected involvement in the Delaware State University shooting. When questioned by reporters all he said was, "I'm sorry." Braden is being charged with attempted murder, reckless endangerment, and gun possession. His bail is set at $75,000. It is not clear how Braden was able to return to his dorm.

Braden is suspected of being the person who shot two students on Friday Sept. 21. The male victim Nathaniel Pugh is in stable condition. His mother Michelle Blackwell told The Washington Post, "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Period."

Shalita Middleton is not as well and it is believed that her injuries are life threatening. She was being treated for wounds at the Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware. Both are seventeen-year old freshmen from the Washington D.C. area.

The students were involved in a dispute on Tuesday and continued at the Village Café in an on campus dining hall that is open late. There was a fight between the suspect, Braden, and another male student. It is alleged that the shooting was a result of this brawl.

After the shooting on Friday, the university canceled classes. The campus was on lock down, keeping students in their dorms. During the weekend the students were prohibited from participation in certain activities. Campus was reopened on Monday and students were allowed to return to the normal routine.

This is not the first tragedy to hit the University as three of its students were shot execution style in Newark this summer

Dr. Allen L. Sessoms, president of Delaware State University, stated at a press conference on Sept. 21, "The University will continue to monitor the progress of the investigation, working to bring things back to normal on campus as soon as possible. We will begin working towards that tomorrow (Sept. 22), since the University will be reopened in a limited capacity. We will also do everything we can to ensure the safety and security of the DSU family, especially those students living on campus."

The campus lock down was based on a decision reached by school administrators. This decision comes after the Virginia Tech massacre where 32 students were killed this past April. Many universities have been taking extra precautions to ensure student safety. After the shooting of Morgan State University student Richard Asare, students who signed up for the mobile alert, were warned about the incident.

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