USC Shooting: Four Wounded Near Campus Center

A suspect still at large fired gunshots outside the University of Southern California’s Tutor Campus Center just after 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, wounding four victims.

One victim is said to have suffered critical wounds to the buttocks and stomach while three others suffered minor wounds. The L.A. Times reported that the gunman targeted one person; the three others were by-standers. They have been transferred to a hospital. USC advised its students to stay away from the area and seek shelter in a secure location.

The campus was put on lockdown after midnight, and some students have reported to Neon Tommy that many people remain sheltered in buildings on campus.

The suspect fled toward Exposition Boulevard, just south of the Campus Center. He was wearing a white baseball shirt with red sleeves. At least two people are in custody. It’s unclear if the suspected gunman is in custody.

“The scene is secure at the Tutor Campus Center on the University Park campus. There is an ongoing police investigation in progress,” the university said on its website.

Though Neon Tommy has not confirmed the information, one victim is believed to be Geno Hall, a former high school football teammate of USC linebacker Hayes Pullard and Oregon tailback De’Anthony Thomas. Hall posted a picture on Twitter from the USC campus earlier Wednesday night.

A pair of Neon Tommy reporters in the Campus Center courtyard at the time of the shooting reported that they didn’t hear gunshots, but “a mob of people” fled from the main Campus Center building. The Campus Center contains a study area on the entrance floor. In the basement level are the student radio station, a campus bar named Traditions, a small concert venue adjacent to the bar and a grand ballroom.

The concert venue, Tommy’s Place, listed on its website a “Ghosts N’ Stuff: Haunted DJs” party from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Wednesday. On Twitter, a user by the name of @ayTwan was promoting a Halloween night “Freak or Greek” party.

USC’s Department of Public Safety emergency number is 213-740-4321.

USC notified students and other members of its community through its Trojans Alert text and email notification system at midnight. The official @USC Twitter account didn’t mention the incident until 12:30 a.m. USC public safety officials said to keep an eye on website.

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Here’s an account a Neon Tommy contributor submitted at 1:15 a.m.:

Matt Hamilton, 25:

Five of us were standing outside of TCC on campus. We were kind of near the entrance of the ballroom which is in the Tutor Campus Center. It happened sometime 11:30ish-11:45ish. There were probably at least 150 people. Maybe 200 people. It was kind of dark. People were trying to getting into the party. There was no word as to why people weren’t getting into the party. Maybe the party was at capacity. People were approaching the area. There were huge crowds of people walking in costume towards the party. Some people were visibly drunk. 

All of a sudden, we heard a gunshot. It turned out to be 4 gunshots in rapid succession. All of a sudden, we just ran away as fast as we could. There were screams. People shouting to get away as fast as possible. We ran but got separated. I ran into the building after AHS and crouched. Everyone was either running away or getting down and crouching. Cement walls, planters. Police came very quickly. There were already USC campus police at the event because they were patrolling the event. I think that’s partly why there was such a quick response. There were already many officers on the scene already. While crouching, I saw more police come to the scene. Within minutes, LAPD. I saw fire trucks. Helicopter overhead. Ambulance. 

I walked back to the scene. I wanted to get closer to where my car was. Police had cordoned the area off. Things seemed to be more stabilized. I saw caution tapes set up. I walked towards the scene, and I think I saw two black men. I think police said that one was 17 and the other was 20. Police said that one was shot in the shoulder and the other, I don’t know where. 

I met up with friends. Two people were arrested. They were sitting on a ledge with their backs facing outwards in the Tutor Campus Center courtyard. They were arrested sitting side-by-side.