HBCU vows to continue 'God's work' after shooting near campus

A racially motivated mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida, sparked a federal hate crime investigation after prompting a lockdown at Edward Waters University, a historically black Christian university whose leader vowed won't be deterred from its mission.

EWU, located less than a mile from the Dollar General store where the shooting occurred Saturday, went into lockdown after an encounter between campus security and the shooter.

The university's security officer engaged with a man near the Centennial Library and asked him to leave after he failed to identify himself, First Coast News said.

The shooter, identified as 21-year-old Ryan Christopher Palmeter, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, left the campus without incident and proceeded to the Dollar General, Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters said at a news conference Sunday.

The shooter, who is white and lived with his parents in Orange Park, killed three black individuals — Angela Michelle Carr, Anolt Joseph "AJ" Laguerre Jr. and Jerrald Gallion — using an "AR-15-style" rifle and a handgun, both legally purchased, Waters said.

The shooter was seen putting on a bulletproof vest at EWU before the attack.

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced that the U.S. Justice Department is investigating the shooting as a hate crime and an act of racially motivated violent extremism.

The gunman left behind racist writings and used racial slurs during the attack, according to the sheriff.

EWU was founded in 1866 by members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to educate freedmen and their children. EWU President and CEO A. Zachary Faison, Jr. said in a video message that the university stands against hate crimes.

"It's not lost on us that this was, in fact, a racially motivated act," Faison said. He emphasized that the university will continue its mission of educating young, mostly black minds.

"I want to say very unabashedly, that we are not dismayed. We will not be intimidated. … The work that we do at Edward Waters and that we have been doing for a century and a half … a great work and it's a great work because it's God's work."

"We are about the business of uplifting, and educating young, mostly black minds, to change the world," he added. "And we know that that's a very powerful force and that there are other forces that want to see that not happen. But thank God that he has continued to keep not only Edward Waters University but all historically black colleges and universities around this great country."

Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan called for an end to division and hate.

"We are all the same flesh, blood and bones and we should treat each other that way," she said, according to CNN.

Sheriff Waters cautioned against trying to find a reason for the attack.

"Our community is grappling to understand why this atrocity occurred. I urge us all not to look for sense in a senseless act of violence," he said.

At least 475 mass shootings have been reported in the U.S so far in 2023, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Waters said Palmeter was the subject of a 2017 law enforcement call under Florida's Baker Act, which allows for involuntary detention during a mental health crisis. He was held for three days but released without further involuntary commitment.

EWU's quick response to the suspicious individual likely saved lives, Faison said.

"Members of our university security team reacted almost immediately," he said. "I think the reports are in less than 30 seconds after he made contact and drove onto our campus."

The suspect's family contacted the Clay County Sheriff's Office after discovering a will and a suicide note left by the gunman. Authorities released video clips of the shooting, showing the gunman wearing a tactical vest and blue latex gloves.

The shooter did not appear to know the victims and is believed to have acted alone.

"He targeted a certain group of people and that's black people," Waters said.

On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that the state would contribute $1 million to increase campus security at Edwards Waters University. The state is also giving $100,000 to a charity supporting the shooting victims' families, the governor said.

"As I've said for the last couple of days, we are not going to allow our HBCUs to be targeted by these people," DeSantis said.