Over the weekend, two student-athletes were killed in two seperate shootings in Oxford and on the University of Memphis campus.Ole Miss track runner and junior psychology major Rodney Lockhart was found dead in his apartment near the Ole Miss campus Saturday at 10 a.m. He had been shot to death.
The Oxford Police Department is investigating the death as a homicide, according to a report from the Clarion Ledger.
University of Memphis junior football player Taylor Bradford was shot near a campus housing building Sunday at 9:45 p.m.
Following the shooting, Bradford crashed his vehicle into a tree, according to a report from Fox News. Police believe the incident was not random, but a targeted attack on the victim, according to the report.
In a separate report from the Clarion-Ledger, university President Shirley Raines said witnesses told police they saw more than one person leaving the scene who were possibly involved.
Classes at the University of Memphis were cancelled Monday as a safety measure, according to the report.
MSU vice president for student affairs Bill Kibler said both incidents were tragic events, not only for Lockhart’s and Bradford’s families but also for the institutions.
He said the universities had no way of preventing the weekend’s events from happening.
“These instances were targeted,” he said. “There was no opportunity for the campuses to intervene. Neither one of these instances involve security measures on campus.”
In both instances, law enforcement will be challenged in finding those responsible for the crimes, Kibler said.
MSU officials have recently taken measures to ensure improved campus safety by periodically reminding students of safety practices, placing more security on streets at night and making positive changes on residence hall policies, he said.
“A lot of what that is about is [to] try to protect the innocent ones out there,” Kibler said. “I don’t know if that can prevent targeted crime. We’re always re-evaluating.”
MSU Police Chief Georgia Lindley and MSU President Robert ‘Doc’ Foglesong did not respond to multiple phone calls seeking comment.