5 Wounded In Shooting At Langston University

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

LANGSTON, Oklahoma -- Five suspects have been taken into custody after a shooting on the Langston University Campus left five people shot and another injured.

The shooting took place at about 1:10 a.m. Sunday in a parking lot behind Jones Hall.

"This is not something that Langston University is about," said Javon Brane, a member of the Langston University Student Government Association.

Members of the university's Student Government Association said the suspects and the victims are not students at the school, but they were attending an annual back to school party that is open to off-campus students.

The party was not a sanctioned university event, university officials said.

"It was an isolated incident outside the party," said Princeton Grayson, a member of the student government association. "It did not spawn from anything that happened in the party."

The organization said future events will likely be off-limits to those who don't attend the school.

"We're going to do a much better job of keeping these people off of our campus and protecting our student body, because this is just something that is unacceptable," Brane said.

In November, Langston authorities investigated another shooting on campus.

A student was shot in the shoulder. Brane and Grayson said these violent crimes are not a fair representation of what goes on at Langston, and they'll do whatever it takes to change that.

"You have student leaders and other students who are willing to step up to the plate to make sure their friends, family, cousins, brothers and sisters are safe. And our president is dedicated to the safety of our university," Grayson said.

The incident is under investigation by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. The Logan County Sheriff's Office placed the five suspects under arrest, aided by the Langston University Police Department.

"We will pursue this to the fullest extent of the law," said Langston President JoAnn Haysbert. "Oklahoma law prohibits weapons and firearms from being carried on state property by unauthorized individuals; and we certainly do not and cannot tolerate or condone this type of irresponsible behavior at Langston University."

Police have not released the names or conditions of the victims.

David Stephens, 23, was one of the suspects taken into custody. Police have not released the names of the other suspects taken into custody.

Three of the victims were transported to OU Medical Center in Oklahoma City. One person was shot in the back and another in the thigh. A third victim's head was grazed by a bullet, according to Ashley Gibson, the Director of Public Relations at Langston University.

Another victim was taken to OU Medical Center in a private vehicle, and the fifth victim was taken to Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City, also in a private vehicle. They are being treated for unspecified bullet wounds, Gibson said.