Camay Mitchell DeSilva, an 18-year-old woman visiting Delaware State University (DSU) from Wilmington, was tragically shot and killed on campus Sunday morning. The university has been gripped with fear as authorities continue to search for the shooter.
DeSilva, who was an innocent bystander, was struck in the upper body near a freshman dorm before succumbing to her injuries, according to Dover police. She was visiting at least one student and hoping to transfer to DSU, the News Journal reported. She was currently attending Morgan State University in Baltimore, CBS Philadelphia reported.
While authorities are investigating multiple persons of interest, no one has been apprehended yet, the News Journal reported. The school has been offering resources for students following the tragedy.
“I am hopeful that the suspects will be apprehended as soon as possible and brought to justice,” school president Tony Allen said during a forum Tuesday, per the newspaper. “And most importantly, most importantly, I am praying for the DeSilva family in a tragic event that we wouldn’t want to happen to any of us.”
Classes were canceled Monday with one student, senior Ashley Spence, telling CBS Philadelphia that “campus is just completely a ghost town.”
“It really could’ve been any one of us on campus,” Shaniya Durant, a sophomore, told the station. “I hope that they’re sitting in there really discussing how to move forward because this was absolutely unnecessary tragedy,” she also said, referencing school leaders.
More details about what motivated the shooting are still unknown. While ID access is needed to get into dorms and campus gates at night, Allen said, the main campus and the downtown area are both walkable with community access, the News Journal reported.
Campus police reportedly plan on raising security ahead of upcoming spring events, including commencement. Sophomore Jaiden Palmer said she wants to see the school buff up its security.
“It’s easily accessible for people to jump gates,” Palmer told CBS Philly. “It’s easily accessible for you to say you’re somebody you’re not and it’s easy for you to get in.”
