Columbus State University shooting: Man shot by campus police, cops say
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Campus police at Georgia's Columbus State University fatally shot a man this weekend after officers responded to a report of someone seen loading a gun, authorities said.
Zikarious Jaquan Flint, 20, died Sunday after suffering two gunshot wounds, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said Monday morning.
Flint wasn't a student at the university and no one else was hurt in the incident Sunday afternoon. Police reported that they chased the man on foot near apartments on the campus, about 100 miles southwest of Atlanta near the Alabama state line, authorities said. Officials say no lockdown was imposed during or after the events.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}University Police Chief Rus Drew said officers were called at 2:35 p.m. Sunday and arrived three minutes later to an area near some campus apartments and began chasing a man on foot.
"There was a short foot chase and at some point the suspect turned and faced the officers and shots were fired," Drew said. He added that while there were some student witnesses, no lockdown was ordered because events had unfolded rapidly and authorities had determined that an "isolated threat" had ended.
The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is investigating, which is common for police-involved shootings. University officials said they would have no further details immediately and were assisting the agency's investigation.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This is a terrible tragedy," CSU President Tim Mescon said. "We'll cooperate fully with the investigation. ... Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved in this as well as their families."
The university said counselors would be made available to students if needed.
The university in downtown Columbus has more than 8,200 students, according to its website.