By Bobby Jones
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
Three victims, including at least one student, were transported to local hospitals Saturday morning after an overnight shooting on Towson University’s campus, county police and school officials said today.
Police did not provide details on the nature of the injuries but said all of the victims are expected to survive.
According to police, students were at a gathering at Freedom Square at the center of campus when the shooting occurred at 2 a.m. Police described the shooting as an isolated incident, adding that the event is currently under investigation. No other details about what occurred at Freedom Square were provided.
One of the victims was a Towson University student, police said. Police said she was treated at an area hospital and is recovering alongside her family.
Baltimore County Police Chief Melissa R. Hyatt said during an early morning press conference at Towson that there was no active threat on campus.
“Our police officers arrived to assist Towson University police officers who were already on the scene of a shooting with multiple victims,” Hyatt said. “Our detectives from the violent crime unit are remaining on the scene right now conducting this investigation.”
Hyatt also said that Baltimore County police will be the primary investigators of the case.
The incident occurred at the end of the first week of classes of the fall semester, which began Aug. 30.
University spokesperson Sean Welsh said Freedom Square, which is located down a hill from Cook Library and not far from the student union, is “the academic core of our campus” and “a common gathering spot for unplanned student events on campus.”
“We don’t know much about the event,” Welsh said during the press conference. “These types of events occasionally will pop up on a public university campus, but this is one that was not planned or sanctioned by the university.”
Some Towson students who were on campus Saturday morning said the incident has unnerved them.
Freshman Carlos Pagan Cruz said he was near the scene when the incident occurred. He said his friends had invited him to hang out at Freedom Square late at night.
“Right when I was about to leave, I told them I was going to go back to my dorm, and then I heard shootings,” Cruz said. “I just went back to my dorm. I didn’t know what to do.”
Another student, freshman art student Arabella Tiskiewic, said the shooting makes her feel unsafe on campus.
“It makes me cry,” she said. “I feel unsafe. It’s scary. I mean, last day of first week of classes?”
Brandon Wyatt, a junior at Towson, said he is worried that the shooting will disrupt the normally safe feeling on campus.
“The first time I heard this incident was from my parents,” Wyatt said. “When I was still asleep, I was getting these phone calls and messages from my parents about the incident. I feel big concern about how people are going to face this issue and feel safe when they come to Freedom Square after this incident.”
The shooting comes as Towson, like other universities, is trying to establish some sense of normalcy after 18 months of remote learning because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Throughout the past week, university officials have been sending out celebratory emails and announcements in an attempt to encourage students, faculty and staff to welcome the new academic year with excitement.
Welsh said the university had several programs planned for this week and weekend as a way to engage students during the first week of classes. He said the university has 6,000 residential students, but he did not know how many students were on campus this weekend.
Welsh said the university will provide support services through the school’s health and counseling centers for students, faculty and staff who need help.
Towson University President Kim Schatzel released a statement today saying that the university’s Office of Public Safety was working closely with county police to determine what happened.
“At this time the scene is secure; however, we’re encouraging everyone, including all students, to remain away from the academic part of campus as police activity is ongoing,” Schatzel said. “As more information unfolds, we will provide updates through Towson University communications and social media.”
Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski called the incident “troubling” and said investigators were doing what they could to keep university students, faculty and staff safe.
“We are committed to keeping all of our residents safe, including those in our university communities,” Olszewski said in a statement. “This act of violence on one of our college campuses is very troubling.”
The academic building on campus remain closed as the investigation continues.