NCAA basketball rivalry game postponed after deadly campus shooting
A basketball game between two Michigan rivals has been postponed following a shooting on the campus of Central Michigan University.
Central Michigan was set to host Western Michigan on Friday night in what would have been the regular season finale for both squads. However, Central Michigan was on lockdown Friday morning after two people were killed in a shooting that took place on the school’s Mount Pleasant campus.
Neither of the victims are believed to have attended or taught at the school, though the suspect in their deaths, 19-year-old James Eric Davis Jr., was enrolled at the university, NBC News reported.
The victims are thought to have been Davis’ parents, sources told the Detroit Free Press.
Police had yet to apprehend Davis as of early Friday afternoon.
“We believe this situation was a domestic type incident,” said Lt. Larry Klaus of the CMU campus police. “He was last seen running in a northbound direction.”
It’s unclear what sparked the fatal shooting, but police did have contact with the alleged shooter overnight regarding an incident related to drugs.
Then, gunfire erupted from the fourth floor of a CMU dorm at about 8:30 a.m. local time.
In a tweet, CMU’s student government told students they should “stay inside and lock your doors.”
Meanwhile, the CMU men’s basketball team put out a statement from athletic director Michael Alford saying Friday night’s game would be postponed. More details were not immediately available.
WMU’s team was in a nearby hotel while the shooting took place. They remained there during the lockdown, athletic director Kathy Beauregard said.
“WMU@CMU Basketball game postponed for tonight. The Broncos are all safely locked into their hotel until further notice. Once CMU makes any announcements we will pass it on,” Beauregard wrote on Twitter. “The Broncos will assist in any possible way to support CMU and their community.”
The entire CMU team was also safe, according to the school’s student newspaper, Central Michigan Life.
CMU and WMU previously faced off on Feb. 20, with Western Michigan prevailing 83-81.
More than 20,000 students attend CMU, which is one of the biggest universities in the United States.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
