What began as a festive Homecoming weekend at Lincoln University, one of the nation’s first Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), ended in tragedy when gunfire erupted in a campus parking lot on Saturday evening, leaving one person dead and six others injured.
Authorities confirmed that the shooting took place outside the International Cultural Center, where a large crowd had gathered for a tailgate celebration following the university’s Homecoming football game. Witnesses described a chaotic scene, with people running for safety as tents and tables were overturned in the panic.
During a Sunday afternoon press briefing, officials identified one of the suspects as 21-year-old Zecqueous Morgan-Thompson of Wilmington, Delaware. He has been taken into custody and is currently being held at the Chester County Prison on $25,000 bail. According to court records, Morgan-Thompson faces charges of carrying a firearm without a license.
The victim who lost his life has been identified as 25-year-old Jujuan Jeffers of Wilmington, Delaware. Authorities said Jeffers suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead shortly after midnight. His family has been notified.
Six additional victims, all between the ages of 20 and 25, were also shot and are expected to survive, according to officials. Among the injured are a current Lincoln University student and a Lincoln alumnus.
Investigators believe the shooting was not a pre-planned attack but rather a violent altercation that escalated during the celebration. The Chester County District Attorney’s Office, Lincoln University Police, Pennsylvania State Police, and the FBI are collaborating in the ongoing investigation.
Detectives continue to process the large crime scene, collecting ballistic evidence, reviewing surveillance footage, and interviewing witnesses to determine what led to the deadly gunfire.
In a statement released Sunday, the Lincoln University President announced that classes are canceled Monday, October 27, designating the day as one of “healing and reflection.”
University Police Chief Marc Partee expressed his sorrow, saying, “We set this out to be a time to celebrate the legacy of Lincoln University, the first Historically Black HBCU. Devastated — if there was another word more impactful, I would use it. But devastated is a start.”
