Tweet
ESPN.com news services
PITTSBURGH -- Five Duquesne basketball players were shot on campus early Sunday, leaving at least one critically injured, after some of them tried to calm a man who apparently had been disruptive at a dance, officials said.
Police searched for the gunman, and the downtown school stepped up its round-the-clock police protection with armed university police officers guarding dormitories and other buildings.
Two players had been walking near a dormitory when they encountered a man who apparently had been disruptive at a student union dance, authorities said. The players attempted to pacify him and walked away but were shot. Players who rushed to their aid were also shot.
In critical condition was forward Sam Ashaolu of Toronto, a transfer from Lake Region State College and a cousin of former Houston Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon.
Ashaolu was the most serious hurt with a bullet, according to multiple sources, lodged in his head. His parents were traveling to Pittsburgh on Sunday to be with their son.
In serious condition was Stuard Baldonado of Colombia, a transfer from Miami Dade College who was considered the school's best recruit. Baldonado, took a bullet in the abdomen and was being evaluated Sunday night, according to sources.
Also hospitalized was Kojo Mensah, a guard from New York City who averaged nearly 17 points last season at Siena College before transferring.
Mensah made summer headlines for wanting out of Siena, but didn't get released and was paying his own way to Duquesne because of the dispute with his former school. He was shot in the shoulder and was at a different hospital, Presbyterian, for evaluation, ESPN.com's Andy Katz reports.
Treated and released were Shawn James of New York City, the nation's leading shot blocker last season at Northeastern University before transferring to Duquesne; and Aaron Jackson of Hartford, Conn., a guard who is one of only two returning players from Duquesne's 3-24 team last season.
James, an NBA prospect expected to be Duquesne's top player when he becomes eligible in the 2007-08 season, was shot in the foot but the bullet didn't break a bone so he was treated and released, Katz reports. Jackson had a bullet graze his hand. He was treated and released.
The gunman and a group of people with him were not students, university president Charles Dougherty said. Several witnesses saw the gunman leave campus after the shots were fired.
Witnesses reported seeing two guns, Dougherty said, but he couldn't confirm whether both were fired. The second gun was seen on someone in a group with the gunman, Dougherty said.
Six to 12 shots were fired, he said. He did not know what sparked the violence.
"My concern is for the players, their welfare and their families," Duquesne coach Ron Everhart, formerly at Northeastern. "But you can't ever dream something like this happening.
"We had guys diving and knocking guys out of the way of the gunfire and diving on the ground, wrapping each other up with tourniquets to stop the bleeding," Everhart said. "They were applying pressure on the wounds. It's a remarkable testament to the character of our kids."
According to the Duquesne source, the majority of the team had gone to a Black Student Association dance event and was walking back to the dorms when they were approached by the gunman.
"What motive can there be for unloading a pistol into a group of students?" Dougherty said.
"The entire Duquesne University community is saddened and shocked," Dougherty said. "We're shocked because an event of this sort has never happened. It's a safe campus and known to be a safe campus."
Students wrestled with how the shootings could affect the reputation of their campus, long considered safe.
Freshman Harold Kolonich, walking with his parents near the campus Sunday night, had few worries.
"I still trust the atmosphere. Duquesne is still a safe campus," he said. "It's unfortunate stuff like that happens. It's a wonderful place to be."
Everhart had rebuilt the school's program after being hired in March by bringing in 10 recruits -- one of the most sweeping upheavals of any Division I program in recent years.
Duquesne University is a private Catholic university with nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
PITTSBURGH -- Five Duquesne basketball players were shot on campus early Sunday, leaving at least one critically injured, after some of them tried to calm a man who apparently had been disruptive at a dance, officials said.
Police searched for the gunman, and the downtown school stepped up its round-the-clock police protection with armed university police officers guarding dormitories and other buildings.
Two players had been walking near a dormitory when they encountered a man who apparently had been disruptive at a student union dance, authorities said. The players attempted to pacify him and walked away but were shot. Players who rushed to their aid were also shot.
In critical condition was forward Sam Ashaolu of Toronto, a transfer from Lake Region State College and a cousin of former Houston Rockets star Hakeem Olajuwon.
Ashaolu was the most serious hurt with a bullet, according to multiple sources, lodged in his head. His parents were traveling to Pittsburgh on Sunday to be with their son.
In serious condition was Stuard Baldonado of Colombia, a transfer from Miami Dade College who was considered the school's best recruit. Baldonado, took a bullet in the abdomen and was being evaluated Sunday night, according to sources.
Also hospitalized was Kojo Mensah, a guard from New York City who averaged nearly 17 points last season at Siena College before transferring.
Mensah made summer headlines for wanting out of Siena, but didn't get released and was paying his own way to Duquesne because of the dispute with his former school. He was shot in the shoulder and was at a different hospital, Presbyterian, for evaluation, ESPN.com's Andy Katz reports.
Treated and released were Shawn James of New York City, the nation's leading shot blocker last season at Northeastern University before transferring to Duquesne; and Aaron Jackson of Hartford, Conn., a guard who is one of only two returning players from Duquesne's 3-24 team last season.
James, an NBA prospect expected to be Duquesne's top player when he becomes eligible in the 2007-08 season, was shot in the foot but the bullet didn't break a bone so he was treated and released, Katz reports. Jackson had a bullet graze his hand. He was treated and released.
The gunman and a group of people with him were not students, university president Charles Dougherty said. Several witnesses saw the gunman leave campus after the shots were fired.
Witnesses reported seeing two guns, Dougherty said, but he couldn't confirm whether both were fired. The second gun was seen on someone in a group with the gunman, Dougherty said.
Six to 12 shots were fired, he said. He did not know what sparked the violence.
"My concern is for the players, their welfare and their families," Duquesne coach Ron Everhart, formerly at Northeastern. "But you can't ever dream something like this happening.
"We had guys diving and knocking guys out of the way of the gunfire and diving on the ground, wrapping each other up with tourniquets to stop the bleeding," Everhart said. "They were applying pressure on the wounds. It's a remarkable testament to the character of our kids."
According to the Duquesne source, the majority of the team had gone to a Black Student Association dance event and was walking back to the dorms when they were approached by the gunman.
"What motive can there be for unloading a pistol into a group of students?" Dougherty said.
"The entire Duquesne University community is saddened and shocked," Dougherty said. "We're shocked because an event of this sort has never happened. It's a safe campus and known to be a safe campus."
Students wrestled with how the shootings could affect the reputation of their campus, long considered safe.
Freshman Harold Kolonich, walking with his parents near the campus Sunday night, had few worries.
"I still trust the atmosphere. Duquesne is still a safe campus," he said. "It's unfortunate stuff like that happens. It's a wonderful place to be."
Everhart had rebuilt the school's program after being hired in March by bringing in 10 recruits -- one of the most sweeping upheavals of any Division I program in recent years.
Duquesne University is a private Catholic university with nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students.
Comment