JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – A suspect is in custody after the shooting death of a Jackson State University student in Mississippi, the university’s president said Friday.
The student was found dead Friday morning inside a Dodge Charger in a campus parking lot. Hinds County Coroner Sharon Grisham-Stewart said the student was male.
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Thomas Hudson, President of Jackson State University, confirmed the student’s death in a statement Friday afternoon but declined to identify him “out of respect for the family and due to the ongoing nature of (the) investigation.”
“It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the death of a JSU student,” Hudson said. “The loss of a young person is always a devastating circumstance for our campus community. Our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.”
Hudson did not share any more details regarding the investigation beyond saying that a “person of interest is in custody.”
In a statement, Mississippi Bureau Investigation officials said they were investigating the incident as a homicide with the Jackson State University Police. They said there is no further threat to people on campus.
The shooting occurred on “High School Day,” an event in which prospective students tour the campus, WAPT-TV reported. In addition, the university is expecting crowds to flock to the campus football stadium Saturday for the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game between Jackson State and Southern University.
Jackson State University is a public historically Black university in Mississippi’s capital city.