KSU placed on lockdown after deadly shooting near campus

Students told to resume normal operations after suspect detained
A Kennesaw State University police officer stands armed outside the Austin Residence Complex on Thursday afternoon.

Credit: Ben Hendren

Credit: Ben Hendren

A Kennesaw State University police officer stands armed outside the Austin Residence Complex on Thursday afternoon.

Kennesaw State University was placed on lockdown Thursday afternoon following a deadly shooting at an apartment complex near campus.

Students and staff were instructed to shelter in place after a man was killed at the TownPark Crossing apartments along Busbee Parkway near Kennesaw, officials said.

Cobb County police were called to the complex about 3:30 p.m. and found a man shot inside an apartment, agency spokesman Sgt. Wayne Delk told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The victim, whose name has not been released, died of his injuries.

A Cobb County police detective enters the crime scene following Thursday's fatal shooting at a Kennesaw-area apartment complex.
Ben Hendren for the AJC

Credit: Ben Hendren

icon to expand image

Credit: Ben Hendren

“This appears to be a drug-related shooting,” Delk said.

Officers began searching the area for possible suspects, including a portion of KSU’s campus, police said. School officials were notified of the search and placed the university on lockdown as a precaution.

A tweet sent out by KSU Emergency Management instructed students and faculty to avoid Busbee Parkway between Frey and Chastain roads while the search was underway. In a second message, university officials warned students to stay inside and lock any doors and windows, cautioning of “potentially armed suspects on campus.”

There was a large police presence on campus during the search, and one KSU officer was seen carrying a rifle outside a dormitory as students looked on from their balconies. The lockdown was lifted shortly after 6 p.m. when one suspect was taken into custody, police and school officials said.

A KSU police officer stands watch outside the Austin Residence Complex following the deadly shooting at an apartment complex near campus. Ben Hendren for the AJC

Credit: Ben Hendren

icon to expand image

Credit: Ben Hendren

KSU issued an all-clear following the arrest, saying there was no longer a credible threat on campus and instructing faculty and staff to resume normal operations.

Cobb police have not released the suspect’s name, and it’s unclear what charges he or she will face.

During the manhunt, Twitter users shared an email sent from a nearby apartment complex warning residents to stay inside following the “gun-related incident.”

“Please shelter in place and call 911 if you see any suspicious persons or activity,” the email read.

— Please return to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for updates.