Campus Alert Archive
DSU

DSU Students Shot in Robbery Just Days After Fall Semester Began: A Crowd Near the Basketball Courts, a Gunman Who Fled

DEshootingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Under Investigation

Two Delaware State University students were shot during a robbery on campus shortly before 2 a.m. on September 3, 2022, when a gunman opened fire on a crowd gathered near the outdoor basketball courts behind the MLK Student Center. DSU President Tony Allen confirmed both victims were students who were taken to Bayhealth Kent County Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The perpetrators were not DSU students and fled the scene before police arrived.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
2
Institution
Delaware State University
Hbcu · DE
~5,000 studentsDSU Emergency Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction157 chars
DSU Emergency Alert: A shooting incident has occurred on campus near the MLK Student Center. Avoid the area. Police are on scene. More information to follow.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The initial campus alert was sent early Saturday morning around the time police responded, approximately 1:45 a.m. EDT on September 3, 2022, following a robbery-linked shooting near the outdoor basketball courts behind the MLK Student Center
An original email to students cited four people shot, but DSU President Tony Allen's subsequent letter corrected the count to two victims, both DSU students
The perpetrators were identified as non-students who had accessed campus; Allen stated 'these are outside folks who somehow got on campus'
FOLLOW-UPEmail
Approximate reconstruction757 chars
Dear DSU Community: We write to you with a heavy heart to inform you that a shooting occurred on our campus in the early morning hours of today. Preliminary reports indicated four individuals were shot; however, after a thorough investigation, we can confirm that two of our students were shot and transported to a local hospital, where they are receiving medical attention. Their injuries are non-life threatening, and they are expected to make a full recovery. We are grateful that their conditions are not more serious. University police and local law enforcement are actively investigating the incident. No arrests have been made. The perpetrators are not Delaware State University students. We will share additional information as it becomes available.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

President Allen's letter corrected the initial four-victim count to two, both confirmed DSU students
Allen's statement that 'the perpetrators are not Delaware State University students' was an important detail to reassure the community that the threat was external, not internal
The letter was issued the same morning as the shooting, reflecting rapid institutional communication
Context

Background

The September 3, 2022 shooting at Delaware State University occurred just days after the start of the fall semester, when a crowd gathered at the outdoor basketball courts near the MLK Student Center. An unknown gunman fired into the crowd during what police investigated as a robbery-motivated attack. DSU Police Chief Bobby Cummings said the investigation focused on a possible robbery motive. DSU President Tony Allen emphasized that the shooters were outsiders who had gotten onto campus, not students, and held an online community forum on September 6, 2022, to address safety concerns. Two students had to urge the university to increase safety measures following the shooting. A second arrest was made by September 7, 2022, per WGMD reporting. DSU, a historically Black university in Dover, Delaware, had already navigated a high-profile January 2022 bomb threat wave; the September shooting added further strain to the campus security environment heading into the fall semester.
Analysis

Key Findings

Initial alert cited four shot; DSU president corrected to two students in subsequent community letter
Perpetrators were non-students who accessed campus grounds at a late-night gathering
Incident occurred fewer than two weeks into fall semester, raising immediate campus security concerns
DSU held an online community forum September 6 to address safety; students publicly called for expanded security measures
Outcome
Two students treated at Bayhealth Kent County Hospital for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds. Perpetrators not DSU students; investigation ongoing. A second arrest was made by September 7, 2022.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Shooting at DSU leaves two students injured (Delaware Public Media)
    delawarepublic.org
  2. News
    4 people shot on Delaware State University Campus (WHYY)
    whyy.org
  3. News
    Delaware State updates Saturday shooting (WDEL)
    wdel.com
  4. News
    DSU officials update community on weekend shooting (Delaware Public Media)
    delawarepublic.org
  5. News
    Two DSU Students Call for Increased Safety Measures Following Recent Shooting (WBOC)
    wboc.com
Tags
shootingrobberyhbcudelawaredovernon-student-perpetratorsfall-semesterbasketball-courtmlk-student-centerUnder Investigation
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion