Shooting prompts additional safety

Two arrests have been made in connection with an Oct. 8 shooting outside A.W. Mumford Stadium.
Raydrian McNeely, 19, of 2659 70th Street, was booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Oct. 14 on three counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of an illegal use of a weapon and one count of illegal possession of a weapon in a firearm-free zone, after he turned himself into the custody of the Southern University Police Department, said a press release by Keisha Lacour, assistant to the chancellor for media relations.
A 16-year old juvenile was also booked on the same counts.
The shooting prompted campus officials to boost security measures.
Due to an influx of fans expected for Saturday’s game against Jackson State, Lacour said the university had already planned to implement extra security. However, after the shootings, SUPD Chief Dale W. Flowers said he would utilize more officers and surveillance teams.
“We usually have 120 to 135 officers working the game,” Flowers said. “Now we have around 160 (officers).”
Flowers said the additional officers were foot patrollers and concentrated primarily on individuals who had no intentions of going to the game.
On Saturday, fans were not allowed to loiter or cruise throughout campus and they could tailgate only in designated areas.
“The ‘no loitering’ and ‘no cruising’ on-campus (rules) were put in place to help out with flow of traffic on-campus,” Lacour said.
Kerri Spears, a senior english major from Port Allen, was one of the three victims shot during the incident. She was struck in her right calf and said she now has a wound large enough to insert a finger. Despite the circumstances, Spears said she still feels Southern is a safe place and she is not mad at anyone.
“I never thought anything like this would happen to me,” Spears said. “This is a big pause in my life. Although I was shot, I still feel so blessed by God to have my life.
“I’m not mad at anybody,” she said. “I’m not mad at this guy. I’m more hurt than anything that it had to happen at Southern.”
Robert Bennett, dean of student life, said the shooting was an isolated event and should not stop fans from attending the games.
“It’s unfortunate it occurred, but I still feel that we have a safe campus-although things have changed in Baton Rouge in the past few months,” Bennett said. “We still encourage our fans and families of SU to continue to come out and support us.”