A 17-year-old suspect, Kaevaughn Dudley, has been arrested following a shooting at Howard University’s homecoming event in Washington, D.C., which injured five people. Dudley is facing multiple charges including assault with intent to murder while armed. The incident occurred during an event at Howard University’s Yard Fest, where a group of men, some wearing face masks, approached a smaller group of individuals, including a 13-year-old victim, and began shouting. The confrontation escalated when Dudley allegedly fired multiple shots at the group, resulting in five injuries, including a 13-year-old victim who was paralyzed from the chest down. Authorities have identified Dudley through extensive surveillance footage and located him without incident. He is set to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 31. The incident highlights the broader issue of violence at college homecoming events, with experts warning of a surge in such incidents. Howard University has not yet commented on the incident.
According to authorities, the shooting occurred after a group of nine men, dressed in black clothing and some wearing face masks, were observed walking near the campus during the Yard Fest event. They encountered another group, including a 13-year-old victim, and began shouting, with the other group responding indifferently. Shortly after, surveillance footage captured Dudley walking away from the victim’s group before firing multiple shots at them using a handgun. Three adult males, one adult female, and one juvenile male were injured in the incident. The shooting occurred in the context of a broader trend of violence at college homecoming events, with experts highlighting a surge in such incidents. The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Columbia is investigating the case, with officials noting that Dudley was initially identified through surveillance cameras and hundreds of hours of footage. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) reports that officers were already in the area to patrol the event and responded immediately upon hearing the gunfire, locating five gunshot victims and transporting them to a nearby hospital. While none of the victims attend Howard University, one individual is a Morgan State University student who remains paralyzed from the chest down after being shot. Authorities also recovered three handguns at the scene, including a privately made firearm, a Smith & Wesson SD9 2.0, and a Glock 19 9mm. The case underscores the severity of the situation and the challenges faced by law enforcement in addressing violence at large public events.