3 highschool graduations throughout the U.S. end with gunfire in less than 24 hours

Three highschool graduation ceremonies ended with pictures fired in separate incidents in Louisiana, Michigan and Tennessee throughout the span of 24 hours, another sobering instance of gun violence impacting everyday lives, together with that of teenage college students.

After college students crossed stages to obtain their diplomas, chaos ensued with gunfire.

No less than one individual was killed and 7 others injured in collective shootings that resulted in the arrest of a 17-year-old gunman in Tennessee.

Shots had been fired Thursday evening round 8:15 p.m as graduates of Hammond Excessive College had been leaving their ceremony held on the campus of Southeastern Louisiana University to satisfy with their families, police said.

Four folks had been injured within the gunfire, all with non-life-threatening accidents, Hammond PD Chief Edwin Bergeron Jr said in a Thursday evening news convention. Three have been transported to an space hospital.

A suspect was positioned after a short foot pursuit and taken into custody, Southeastern Louisiana University Police Chief Michael Beckner instructed NBC Information Friday morning.

Charges are pending because the probe continues and all events concerned were adults, Beckner said.

Police stated Thursday no Hammond Excessive School students are believed to be concerned within the capturing. 

“At the moment we don't believe that there have been any students involved, we don't consider any juveniles were struck in this incident,” Bergeron stated.

Police are asking for witnesses, or individuals with video footage of capturing to come forward. 

There were Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies on site working safety for the commencement who responded to the taking pictures and the “state of affairs was taken underneath control in a short time," officers mentioned.

Tangipahoa Parish Superintendent of Schools, Melissa Martin Stilley, stated Thursday, "We apologize to our households and to our college students that this night time, which ought to have been a really pleased event for our graduates and their families, ended on such a tragic note."

Hammond High Faculty students may have a digital faculty day Friday, although faculty will go into to highschool, she mentioned.

A taking pictures erupted on the East Kentwood High Faculty campus outside the soccer stadium in Michigan on Thursday throughout a graduation ceremony for Crossroads Alternative Excessive School at around 7:20 p.m., injuring two, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.

Two deputies have been on website working safety for the ceremony, however by the time deputies received to the parking zone on foot, “the suspect vehicles had fled.” 

Kent County Sheriff Michelle LaJoye-Younger mentioned in a Thursday evening information convention that people in two vehicles were exchanging gunshots.

She stated “numerous photographs” have been fired on the scene.

The sheriff's workplace mentioned two victims within the shooting had been later situated at area hospitals: a 16-year-old from Texas who was shot within the wrist and is in steady situation and a 40-year-old lady from Grand Rapids who was shot within the wrist and abdomen in critical however stable condition. 

It isn't clear if the victims were related to the commencement.

The sheriff’s workplace believes there were more than two people opened hearth. Initial reviews point out two white sedans with multiple people inside fled the scene at a excessive fee of pace, officials stated.

Authorities are additionally asking for witnesses or folks with video or picture footage of the incident to submit tips. 

A 17-year-old was arrested in a lethal shooting after a commencement ceremony for Riverdale High College held on the Middle Tennessee State University campus shortly earlier than 9 p.m. Wednesday as the group was leaving. 

Hasani Brewer, 18, was killed and a 17-year-old high school scholar wounded, police said. Brewer and the teenager who was shot had gotten into a fight when a 3rd particular person opened fireplace, police spokesperson Larry Flowers mentioned at a news convention.

The suspect, who is also 17, was not recognized because of his age. He can be arraigned in juvenile court on a first-degree homicide charge, Flowers said.

Brewer was a previous graduate of the high school, and the wounded teenager is a junior, he said.

“The graduation was just ending, people had been leaving, this struggle started — so just think about the chaos when pictures rang out,” Flowers stated.

Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.