FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX18) — A 19-year-old Kentucky State University sophomore was shot and killed on campus Tuesday afternoon, leaving his family devastated and demanding answers from the school about how the tragedy was allowed to happen.
Dejon Darrell Fox Jr. was shot outside Whitney Young Hall during what witnesses described as an altercation that escalated when a man pulled out a gun. Police arrested 48-year-old Jacob Lee Bard and charged him with murder and assault.
"That's my baby. I can't, y'all, I can't," Fox's mother said through tears.
According to an arrest citation, Bard pulled out a gun during an altercation on the KSU campus and shot Fox and one other student. Police have not yet released the exact details on what happened, but both Fox's family and students on campus said it started as a fight between Bard's son and the two victims.
Fox's aunt expressed the family's anguish over losing him.
"It's just not fair, she said. "It's not fair to take my brother's baby, his firstborn."
The family said they haven't been allowed to see his body and wish the school would have protected him. They're questioning how someone was able to bring a weapon onto campus.
"They're encouraged no weapons. They're encouraged no firearms...How is that okay? They did not protect my nephew. They did not make sure he was safe. They did not make sure he was protected at all," another family member said.
Fox's grandmother called for an end to gun violence.
"If you were picking up your son, you should have been doing that. If there was a fight, you should have just let them or say, hey okay, enough is enough," she said.
The family described Fox as someone who loved school and was excited to return to KSU from break. His mother wanted people to know how much education meant to him.
"He can be in the worst mood, and he is just gonna keep playing and playing," his mother said, remembering his playful nature.
Now instead of celebrating the holidays, his family is forced to plan his funeral. The aunt said the school owes them an explanation about what happened and how it was allowed to occur.
"This is never going to be the same. Never. Ever," she said. "The school owes us an explanation, like nobody is saying anything. They owe an explanation on what is going on and what happened."
Fox's grandmother hopes the tragedy serves as a wake-up call about gun violence.
"I hope this is a lesson for a lot of people. It's like put the guns down. Let's stop the violence. It's a senseless act. Where are we gonna get with it? Besides more heartache," she said.
