Campus Alert Archive
YSU

A Downtown Shooter Fled Into the Wick Deck and Shut Down YSU for an Hour

OHshelter in placeemergency notificationmedium confidence

On the afternoon of Friday, June 28, 2024, Youngstown State University activated its Penguin Alert and placed the entire campus under lockdown after a suspect in a nearby shooting was spotted in the Wick Avenue parking deck on campus. The shooting had occurred just before 4:00 PM outside the Octave entertainment venue near Phelps and Commerce Streets in downtown Youngstown, one block from campus, and the victim was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. No suspect was found on campus and the all-clear was issued just before 5:00 PM.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Youngstown State University
Public Masters · OH
Penguin 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 reconstruction238 chars
PENGUIN ALERT: A shooting suspect has been spotted in the Wick Ave parking deck. Campus is on lockdown. Students, faculty, and staff should shelter in place immediately. Stay away from windows and doors. Do not leave until further notice.

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

Reconstructed from multiple news reports: WFMJ, WPXI, Spectrum News 1, and University Herald all confirmed a Penguin Alert was issued placing the campus under lockdown after the suspect was spotted in the Wick Avenue parking deck.
The off-campus shooting occurred outside the Octave venue near Phelps and Commerce Streets, about one block from campus, just before 4:00 PM EDT on June 28, 2024.
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstruction202 chars
PENGUIN ALERT ALL CLEAR: No suspect has been found in the Wick Ave parking deck or on campus. The lockdown has been lifted. Resume normal activities. Contact YSU Police at 330-941-3527 with information.

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

Reconstructed all-clear; WFMJ confirmed the all-clear was issued just before 5:00 PM EDT after YSU Police found no suspect in the deck or on campus.
The campus was on lockdown for approximately one hour before the all-clear was given.
Context

Background

On the afternoon of June 28, 2024, a shooting outside the Octave venue near Phelps and Commerce Streets in downtown Youngstown sent one victim to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries just before 4:00 PM EDT. The suspect, described as a Black male wearing a white shirt, grey sweatpants, and a black backpack, was spotted in the Wick Avenue parking deck on YSU's campus, which sits adjacent to downtown. Youngstown State activated its Penguin Alert system, locking down the entire university and asking students, faculty, and staff to shelter in place. Multiple law enforcement agencies swept the deck and surrounding campus for over an hour. No suspect was found and the all-clear was issued just before 5:00 PM. The incident highlighted the geographic vulnerability of urban-campus universities like YSU, where downtown violence can spill onto campus grounds within seconds. Community concerns about campus safety mounted in the days following the lockdown.
Outcome
No suspect was located in the Wick Avenue parking deck or elsewhere on campus. YSU Police confirmed the campus was clear and lifted the lockdown just before 5:00 PM. The underlying shooting near Phelps and Commerce Streets was investigated by Youngstown Police. No YSU community members were injured.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    All clear issued on lockdown at YSU, no suspect found in parking deck - WFMJ
    wfmj.com
  2. News
    YSU's lockdown lifted after reports of shooter - Spectrum News 1
    spectrumnews1.com
  3. News
    Youngstown State University goes on lockdown for shooting suspect seen on campus - WPXI
    wpxi.com
  4. News
    YSU Lockdown Triggered by Shooting Suspect Sighting on Campus - University Herald
    universityherald.com
Tags
lockdownshooting-suspectshelter-in-placeoff-campusohiourban-campuspenguin-alertparking-deck
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion