FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — A deadly shooting at Kentucky State University on Tuesday left one student dead and another critically injured, prompting officials to cancel all classes, finals, and activities for the remainder of the week.
The shooting occurred just after 3 p.m. near Whitney Young Hall, shocking students and community members who described the campus as typically safe and peaceful.
"I heard him let two off. And after that, it just was crazy. And it took about, what, 30 minutes for the cops to get here," said Lester Brown, a KSU student who lives next to Whitney Young Hall.
Brown said he witnessed people running from the scene immediately after the gunshots.
"I just saw everybody running down over there," said Anthony Jones, another student.
The incident has shattered the sense of security that many students and community members in the area felt on campus.
"I'm thinking this college campus pretty safe for us and (it) feels like home. But it's crazy that this had to happen on campus," Brown said.
Brown expressed frustration about the violence occurring at the university.
"We pay too much money for this kind of stuff to be taking place at this school," Brown said.
Meanwhile, Brandi Ashcraft, who has lived in the area for eight years, said the shooting was unprecedented for the typically quiet Frankfort community.
"We don't hear of that type of stuff here in Frankfort. We're a close knit family. We all kind of know each other," Ashcraft said.
Community members are calling for increased security measures on campus following the tragedy.
"That man should not have been allowed to be on K-State property, and this would never happen," one community member said.
Another resident emphasized how this situation could have been prevented.
"If there was more security here, somebody would have got to go home to their family. We wouldn't have to have this. Now, Frankfort's gonna mourn for the person," they said.
The shooting has deeply affected students who came to KSU seeking educational opportunities and a better future.
"It's sad because we are here to get a degree in college education, like we come here to get something better than where we came from," Brown said.
