2 Arrested in USC Halloween Shooting

Police have apprehended two suspects believed to be involved in the USC Halloween party shooting.

At the on-campus party, two males were reportedly arguing outside when one of them pulled out a handgun and shot the other, reports Fox News. The victim was critically wounded. Three bystanders were also shot and suffered non-life-threatening injuries. A spokesperson says none of those involved in the shooting were affiliated with the university.

One of the suspects in the shooting will be charged with attempted murder. The shooting at USC is just the latest in a series of violent incidents at or near the university.

The shooting broke out at a campus party that was so crowded that around 100 people were left standing outside, including campus police officers, reports Fox News.

Following the shooting, university officials shut down the campus which basically meant that those without a USC identification card were forbidden access to the campus. The shut down follows increased measures to enhance campus security after several shootings involving USC students.

Just last April, two USC graduate students were killed in a shooting during a botched robbery attempt off-campus. That incident caused the university to beef up security, but apparently that was not enough. Four years ago, silver-medal winning Olympian Bryshon Nellum was also shot at a USC Halloween party.

USC is not located in the best part of the Los Angeles area, and university officials should take steps to protect its students. It may be unreasonable to shut down the campus to outsiders forever, but if shootings involving unaffiliated individuals continue to happen, the school will need to be more proactive or the school itself could face liability too.

Generally, a university owes a basic duty to keep its students safe. This can involve increased security and other measures, especially when shootings have regularly occurred near the campus. The university may not be able to prevent all violence, but shootings have become so synonymous with USC that it is clear that additional steps need to be taken.

Related Resources:

• USC shooting: Classes to be held as normal after suspects detained (Los Angeles Times)
• Are Campus Police the Same as 'Real' Police? (FindLaw's Blotter)
• Emergency School Text Alerts Can Save Your Life (FindLaw's Blotter)