Police at Baltimore's Morgan State University reported an active shooter situation Tuesday night and told people on campus to shelter in place. University Police Chief Lance Hatcher said five people had been shot, four of whom are students, Scripps News reports. The university lifted a shelter-in-place order shortly after midnight. Wednesday classes were cancelled. The shooting happened shortly after an annual ritual to crown Mister and Miss Morgan State in the lead-up to a football game on Saturday. At historically Black colleges and universities, homecoming is an important tradition that brings together generations of students and alumni, reports the New York Times.
Tuesday night marked at least the third consecutive year that a shooting has disrupted homecoming week at Morgan State. A man was shot last October at an “unsanctioned” homecoming after-party. Two years ago, a student was shot at the conclusion of a homecoming week. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott urged federal officials to take action on gun laws. "There are things that can be done particularly at the level of Congress that could help stop the next shooting on a campus at a church, at a supermarket from happening," Scott said. "And when is enough going to be enough? When will the sanctity of American lives and the sanctity of American college students and students to get their education outweigh the sanctity of American guns."