One Troy native died, and 16 other individuals were injured at a block party shooting after Tuskegee University’s homecoming game.
Twelve individuals were injured as a result of gunfire, with four others injured as they were trying to escape the scene.
Police identified the victim as 18-year-old La’Tavion Johnson, of Troy, Alabama. He was not a student at Tuskegee University and had recently graduated from Charles Henderson High School. Johnson was set to start a career with the Department of Transportation the next week.
It is alleged that Johnson was shot while attempting to protect another individual. This is held up by social media videos and the girl who he pushed out of the way of gunfire. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
At around 1:00 in the morning on Nov. 10, police responded to gunfire at Tuskegee University’s West Commons on-campus apartments.
Amid the chaos and terror, Jaquez Myrick was allegedly spotted by police leaving the scene holding what appeared to be a Glock pistol, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Police later found that this handgun had been altered with a machine gun conversion device.
Myrick, a Montgomery native, was arrested and confessed to firing the weapon but denies aiming at anyone. According to the D.O.J., he has only been charged with federal possession of a machine gun.
In an interview with WSFA, Johnson’s parents expressed their deep hurt.
“That was my baby,” said Tamika Johson, La’Tavion’s mother.
His father Larry was too emotional to finish his sentence. “He was a loving person,” his father said. “The life he had...”
The family is absolutely torn. Not only have they lost their son in this tragic event, but they are still healing from the recent death of their daughter.
Larry Johnson just wants the violence to stop.
“If I could just touch one person and stop the gun violence,” he said to WSFA. “It really hurts, it hurts.
“You’re missing your child all because somebody wants to shoot.”
A GoFundMe has been started by Amber Kelly, a family friend, to help cover ongoing financial needs.
“La’Tavion’s life was all about family, love, and giving back” Kelley wrote. “La’Tavion’s heart extended beyond his own dreams—he was helping to raise his young nephew after the recent passing of his sister.”
The university is taking serious measures to increase campus safety after this incident.
During a news conference on Monday, Tuskegee University President Mark Brown said that, effective immediately, IDs will be required for everyone visiting campus. The campus security chief has also been fired and replaced, and the entire security team is now under review.
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