A student has died after being stabbed inside a dorm at a Pennsylvania university on Wednesday night, officials confirmed.
Two other students were stabbed in the violent attack, carried out by an unidentified assailant. The slain student, who was attending Lincoln University, died at the scene, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s office and campus police. The two other victims were taken to a nearby Delaware hospital, where they were treated and released.
“[The community was] devastated that this happened,” Carmina Taylor, an alumna and former president of Lincoln University’s Parents Association, told CBS3 Philly.
ADVERTISEMENT
“What hurt us the most—what hurts me the most—is that this all could have been prevented,” she said. “I love my university, but I want it to be better for the young people on the campus.”
CBS3 Philly reported that a fight between multiple students that precipitated the stabbing was caught on camera. In the footage, students can be seen throwing punches in a dorm hallway, before suddenly running for covering.
None of the students involved in the incident have been publicly identified.
Police have said they believe the attack to have been an isolated incident, and are continuing to investigate. Multiple local outlets reported that investigators seemed to be focused on a pile of debris lying on a lawn near the school’s football stadium.
A vigil was held Thursday night for the student who died, CBS3 reported.
Lincoln University, a prominent and historically Black institution, was founded in 1854 as the United States’ first degree-granting HBCU. Nearly 2,000 students were enrolled on campus as of late last year.
School officials released a statement on Thursday morning, saying, “We are deeply saddened by the incident that occurred on campus last night. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We take the safety of our students seriously and are working with local authorities as there is an ongoing investigation.”
Friday classes were canceled.
