Lincoln University of PennsylvaniaFile photo
A person with a firearm was detained following the incident, and officials are investigating the possibility of multiple shooters, though authorities do not believe there is any ongoing threat to the campus, according to Chester County District Attorney Christopher de Barrena-Sarobe during an early Sunday news conference.
"We don't have a lot of answers about exactly what happened," de Barrena-Sarobe said. "What I will tell you is that 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."
The shooting occurred around 9:30 p.m. outside the International Cultural Center, a large campus building where tents and tables had been arranged for tailgating and socializing following an earlier football game.
"It was a chaotic scene, and people fled in every direction," the district attorney said, urging anyone with video footage or information to contact the FBI.
Authorities declined to share details about the victims' conditions or the medical facilities where the injured were receiving treatment.
This incident adds to a concerning pattern of gun violence disrupting homecoming celebrations at historically Black colleges and universities. The targeting of these cherished campus traditions—which serve as vital gatherings for current students, alumni, and surrounding communities—has raised alarm among HBCU leaders and law enforcement nationwide.
Lincoln University Police Chief Marc Partee expressed profound grief over the tragedy that transformed what should have been a celebration of the institution's legacy into a scene of devastation.
"If there was another word to describe that, that's more impactful, I would use it," Partee said, "but 'devastated' is a start."
The campus, located approximately 45 miles southwest of Philadelphia, remained under investigation Sunday, with Chester County detectives leading the probe alongside state police and the FBI.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro said he was briefed on the shooting and offered state support to the university community.
"Join Lori and me in praying for the Lincoln University community," Shapiro posted on X.
Lincoln University, founded in 1854, is the nation's first degree-granting HBCU and has educated generations of Black leaders, including Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and poet Langston Hughes.
