UPDATE: Police to report on Grambling shooting suspect by midday

Ashley Mott
The News Star

Lincoln Parish Sheriff spokesman Stephen Williams said LPSO is making progress and hopes to have information by noon about the suspect that allegedly killed two men on Grambling State University's campus early Wednesday morning.

The suspect has remained at large since he fled the scene of the crime. As of Wednesday night, the manhunt was still underway. 

Both victims, one a senior at Grambling and his friend, were from Farmerville.

President Rick Gallot discusses a shooting at the Grambling State University campus with The News-Star on Wednesday.

Grambling spokesman Will Sutton said a GSU student called police Chief Gene Caviness on the chief's cell phone to report the shootings about midnight Tuesday.

According to Sutton, dead are Earl Andrews and Monquiarious Caldwell, both 23. Andrews was a senior at GSU. It's unknown why Caldwell was on campus or his connection to Andrews. 

More:GSU students react to shooting with fear and grief

Lincoln Parish Sheriff's Office spokesman Stephen Williams said the violence happened after an altercation in a dorm room spilled over into a courtyard on campus. 

Officers found the two victims in the courtyard between Wheatley and Bowen dormitories. Sutton said both were shot.

"Our prayers go out to the victims and their families," Sutton said. "Violence has no place on our campus.  We will fully cooperate with the police investigation."

Lincoln Parish Sheriff Mike Stone said police "have the nickname of a suspect. We're working hard to pursue the suspect and we're going to catch him," Stone said.

Stone said Grambling police asked him to lead the investigation.

"This is not a random act, nor an act of terrorism," Stone said. "It appears the victims and the suspect knew each other and there was obviously bad blood. It's a tragedy." 

The shootings happened as Grambling celebrates homecoming this week. 

Classes resumed as normal on Wednesday morning, although students were still visibly shaken.  

Planned homecoming events will also continue throughout the week.

President Rick Gallot told The News-Star on Wednesday that additional security measures were in place for homecoming week prior to the shooting due to the anticipated influx of visitors to campus. 

"I've spoken to Governor John Bel Edwards who called me this morning and also to Col (Kevin) Reeves, head of the state police," Gallot said. "They are going to send additional troopers who will be here later today and will be here throughout the weekend. We will have additional support from the Louisiana State Police." 

"My whole thing is this is not the first shooting that has happened on this campus. It’s not the second either," Grambling senior Kyana Manning said. "There have been shootings going on since I was freshman, since 2013. This is probably, I would say, the fifth shooting that has taken place, and I just feel like it is not being taken serious at all."

The shooting was the second on the GSU campus in five weeks. On Sept. 21, a student was shot in the upper arm following an argument and subsequent fight in a campus dorm room.

Congressman Ralph Abraham, M.D., R-Alto, issued the following statement Wednesday in response to the incident.

 "I have all the confidence in the world in President Rick Gallot’s ability to keep the campus safe and to help bring healing to the students who are hurting in the wake of this tragedy," Abraham said. "I am also glad to know that Sheriff Mike Stone and his deputies are on the case because they will certainly bring the perpetrator to justice."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Ruston-Lincoln Crimestoppers at 255-1111. A reward of up to $2,000 is available for credible information. 

 

Grambling State University Police return to their vehicle after visiting the scene of the shooting deaths of senior criminal justice major Earl Andrews and his friend Monquiarious Caldwell, who was visiting from their hometown of Farmerville, in Grambling , La., Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017. Andrews and Caldwell were shot in the courtyard between J.D.E. Bowen and Phyllis Wheatley, two dormitories on campus. The suspect is at large.