1 dead, 6 injured in homecoming shooting at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania

One person is dead and at least six others were injured in a shooting during a homecoming celebration at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, Saturday night, the Chester County district attorney announced.

District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe said one person, who had a gun, has since been detained.  

The shooting happened in the parking lot of the International Cultural Center (ICC) building just before 9:30 p.m., where a post-football game celebratory tailgate and Yardest event was being held, Lincoln University police chief Marc Partee said during a press conference Sunday morning.

“This was to be a joyous occasion,” Partee said. “Homecoming — when individuals come back, and they give back to their alma mater, and they live the good memories of their time at Lincoln University, which has helped them propel into life. This was interrupted by gunfire that should not have occurred.”

At this time, it’s still unclear what led up to the shooting and why shots were initially fired. The school was placed on lockdown, but it has since been lifted. The Chester County DA said officials do not believe there is an active threat to the campus.

“Today, we’re operating as if this is not an incident where someone came in with the design to inflict mass damage on a college campus,” de Barrena-Sarobe said during the news conference.

The school is located on Baltimore Pike in southern Chester County, about 45 miles from Philadelphia.

Devastating night in southern Chester County, DA says

Law enforcement described a chaotic scene where people fled in every direction after shots were fired. People were seen running for cover, and several others were being treated after they were knocked to the ground and trampled, officials said.

CBS News Philadelphia spoke to a witness who said he saw one person receiving CPR.

Tents were set up in the ICC parking lot for the tailgating event, designed for people to come together, reconnect and celebrate Lincoln University. De Barrena-Sarobe said the ICC is also where the Lincoln University Police Department is housed.

“This mass shooting should never have happened. Never have happened,” the district attorney said.

“We are concerned for our students who had to experience this, our alumni who had to experience this, and our visitors and friends,” Partee said. “We set this out to be a time to celebrate the legacy of Lincoln University, the first historically Black, HBCU in the country. So, devastated, if there was another word to describe that, that’s more impactful, I would use it. but devastated is a start.”

It’s unclear at this time if any of the shooting victims were Lincoln University students. The Chester County DA said officials are continuing to monitor all the victims and are investigating the shooting with the full power of federal, state and local law enforcement. 

In an Instagram post, the university said counseling services will be available on Sunday starting at 10 a.m. for students and staff in need of support.

Following the shooting, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said on X, “I’ve been briefed on the shooting at Lincoln University tonight, and my Administration has offered our full support to President Allen and local law enforcement. Please avoid the area, continue to follow the guidance of local law enforcement, and join Lori and me in praying for the Lincoln University community.”

A plead for tips

De Barrena-Sarobe urged anyone with any information about the shooting to call 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324). Digital evidence will be key in this investigation so law enforcement can hold the shooter or shooters accountable, officials said.

“Because we are going to not stop until we are able to arrest and to find the person or people that shot all of these people at Lincoln University,” he said.

The Chester County Detectives are the lead agency overseeing the investigation.