A student at nearby Niagara University (near Buffalo) was shot and killed at an off campus apartment.
The victim was identified as Brandon Johnson, 20, a junior accounting major from Rochester, according to police and university officials.
Johnson was one of several people in an apartment at University Court, which is an off-campus neighborhood and not university property, police said. The victim did not live in this apartment but was visiting with friends.
At about 11:20 p.m., a man attempted to rob the people in the apartment and fired a single shot from a “sawed-off shotgun”-type weapon, killing the victim, police said. No one else was injured.
The gunman then fled but was located several hours later by Niagara Falls police.
Gordon Jackson, of 2229 Lockport St., Niagara Falls, was charged with second-degree murder, attempted robbery and criminal use of a firearm.
Jackson was arrested without incident at 17th Street and Pierce Avenue in Niagara Falls. Jackson is not a Niagara University student but was acquainted with others who were present in the apartment.
Niagara was scheduled to hold a private prayer service this afternoon for the campus community.
Prayers today for the Niagara community, especially Campus Minister Kristina Schliesman who is a friend and colleague.
Will the violence on campuses (or just off campus in this instance) ever stop? At times like this we need faith more than ever. And this seems like it’s a new phenomenon but I remember some 20 years back a Fordham student was involved in an incident and he ended up stabbing a local Bronx resident and killed him. The victim was Albanian and the Albanian community vowed revenge on the Fordham students. We were on lockdown for over a week.
These incidents often lend themselves to making students feel insecure and unable to concentrate on studies and other matters. For those who are campus ministers, please take some time to notice if your students seem more out of sorts than usual today.
And prayers today are offered for all victims of campus violence.