Campus Alert Archive
KSU

11 Shots Outside a Residence Hall: KSU Student Government Leader Killed in Saturday Afternoon Dispute

GAshootingemergency notificationhigh confidence
Confirmed Threat

On May 18, 2024, a 21-year-old KSU student was shot and killed outside the Austin Residence Complex during a dispute. The suspect, who was not a KSU student, fired 11 times before fleeing campus. KSU issued an armed intruder alert at 4:07 PM EDT, and the suspect was arrested roughly 12 miles away by Cobb County Police.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
1
Injured
0
Institution
Kennesaw State University
Public R2 · GA
~45,000 studentsKSU Emergency Management
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 2 verified verbatim

INITIAL ALERTPush
Verified verbatim11Alive, quoting the KSU Alert verbatim126 chars
KSU Alert: Kennesaw Campus: Armed Intruder reported at Kennesaw State. Seek shelter in a secure location until further notice.
Quoted verbatim from 11Alive's reporting of the KSU Alert push notification
The alert was issued around 4:07 PM EDT, directing the campus to seek shelter in a secure location
The secure-in-place lasted approximately 36 minutes before the all-clear was issued
ALL CLEARPush+36 min
Verified verbatimKSU Emergency Management (quoted verbatim in The Sentinel student newspaper and multiple Atlanta-area news outlets)161 chars
KSU Emergency: ALL CLEAR Person was shot on Kennesaw Campus. Suspect is no longer a threat to campus. Avoid the South Campus Housing area due to police activity.
Quoted verbatim from KSU Emergency Management push notification reported by The KSU Sentinel and regional outlets at approximately 4:43 PM EDT on May 18, 2024
The all-clear was issued about 36 minutes after the initial alert; it confirmed a person was shot while omitting that the victim had died
KSU confirmed the student's death later that evening around 8:00 PM
Context

Background

On the afternoon of Saturday, May 18, 2024, a shooting occurred in front of the Austin Residence Complex on Kennesaw State University's Kennesaw campus. The victim, 21-year-old Alasia Franklin, was a junior and member of the KSU Student Government Association who was pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner. The suspect, Samuel El Harris, 21, of Cairo, Georgia, was not a KSU student and was reportedly Franklin's ex-boyfriend. According to the GBI investigation, Harris fired 11 rounds at Franklin during a dispute, leaving her deceased on the roadway. He then fled campus but was detained by Cobb County Police roughly 12 miles away. KSU's Office of Emergency Management issued a secure-in-place alert at 4:07 PM EDT and lifted it at approximately 4:43 PM. Harris was charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. He was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.
Analysis

Key Findings

The suspect fired 11 times at the victim during a dispute outside a residence hall
KSU's lockdown lasted approximately 36 minutes from the armed intruder alert to the all-clear
The suspect was not a KSU student and was arrested roughly 12 miles from campus
The victim was a junior and Student Government Association member
Outcome
Alasia Franklin, a 21-year-old junior and Student Government Association member, was killed. The suspect, Samuel El Harris of Cairo, Georgia, was arrested by Cobb County Police and charged with murder, aggravated assault, and possession of a firearm during the commission of a crime. Harris was later sentenced to life in prison.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Georgia college student shot and killed on Kennesaw State University campus (NBC News)
    nbcnews.com
  2. Official
    GBI Arrests and Charges Cairo Man with Murder in Death of Kennesaw State University Student (GBI)
    gbi.georgia.gov
  3. News
    Student shot, killed on Kennesaw State University campus (11Alive)
    11alive.com
  4. News
    KSU Student Killed in Campus Shooting; Suspect Detained (Marietta Daily Journal)
    mdjonline.com
  5. News
    22-year-old sentenced to life in prison for shooting and killing Kennesaw State student (11Alive)
    11alive.com
Tags
shootingfatalitygeorgiaresidence-hallcampus-lockdownpublic-universitystudent-victim
Added May 2026Updated June 2026Via ingestion