"It's just a really tragic thing:" Life at IUP continues as investigation into mass shooting develops
WHITE TOWNSHIP (KDKA) - Indiana University of Pennsylvania is a tight-knit community and an off-campus shooting on homecoming weekend has left students stunned.
Some students are expressing feelings of sadness and fear.
On IUP's campus Monday, students are going about their day and going to class, while knowing one or more gunmen remain on the loose after the deadly shooting at a large private party about 5 minutes from campus.
"It was really scary just thinking about how I'm connected to all of that. I also heard that someone died and that's like really tragic and really scary," said Nevaeh Parente, a sophomore at IUP.
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Parente went to class Monday with enhanced police on campus. An IUP spokesperson said the university has additional police out and visible on the Indiana campus, and Indiana Borough Police and Sheriff's Office are present on campus as well.
Investigators are still working around the clock to figure out who's responsible for one man and injuring eight other people, including 2 IUP students just after 12:30 a.m. on Sunday. The shooting happened at a private party at the Chevy Chase Community Center in White Township about two miles from campus.
The Indiana County Coroner's Office identified the deceased victim as 22-year-old Jamar Montae Porterfield Herriot Jr. of Homestead.
There are concerns because there are no suspects in custody.
"That's really scary… coming to campus today I was a little bit uneasy, but they did send out an email saying that there would be increased police presence, which makes me feel more comfortable," said Parente.
"Of course, that's always a worry. I mean, I feel like I need to be here. I feel like it's important. I feel like the students' safety is number one," said Maria Denison, a student success navigator at IUP.
Denison wants to be there for students. Each student has a 'navigator' they can go to with any questions or concerns throughout the semester.
"Actually, my husband and I, he's also a professor here. We're really thankful that it wasn't as close to campus as it could have been, and we were concerned immediately about how to support students," Denison said.
She hopes students will come to faculty and staff if they need mental health support.
The VP for student affairs said IUP is a community that cares about one another and the college has people who are prepared to help.
"The thing I've been most impressed about coming here this year is that students feel safe, and they feel like this is a home and so anything that would damage that perception or that feeling for students, is something that we definitely have to work towards triaging and helping them with," Denison said.
Students who need mental health assistance can call IUP's counseling center at 724- 357-2621 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. They also have walk-in hours at the Center Monday through Friday from 1 to 3 p.m.
State police called this a targeted event, and that the community-at-large is not in danger. IUP encourages students to continue to be aware of their surroundings as they resume normal activities. Indiana campus activities are operating as scheduled with enhanced police presence.
While it was homecoming weekend for IUP, state police say the shooting was not linked to the college festivities. The FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals, and multiple police departments, including from out of state, are involved in the investigation.
Anyone who has information on the shooting is asked to step forward to state police. People can call the Indiana barracks at 724-357-1960.
The Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers and the ATF are offering a combined $15,000 reward for the identification of the gunmen. People can anonymously call PA crime stoppers at 1-800-4PA-TIPS.
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