| Updated: 2/22 7:50 pm |
Published: 2/22 6:38 pm
|
Spartan College of Aeronautics and Technology was closed today following a shooting that left one student dead and three others wounded.
"It's crazy, that we all came here to go to school and you can't put it off on security or school because it's not their fault. Stuff like this happens," said Spartan student Justin Martin.
The shooting happened at Spartan Landing Apartments around 9:00pm Thursday night. The apartment is located directly behind the school on Pine.
Within an hour and half, a roommate of two of the victims was arrested.
Mark Hopkins, 41, also a student from Alabama, was found on foot about a mile and half away from the complex.
Chaz Fain, 18, from Florida was killed. Two 18-year-old victims are from Georgia and Texas and police are unsure where the 19-year-old is from.
Friends tell FOX23 News, one of the victims has been released from the hospital and two are still recovering from their injuries.
"It's just devastating,” said Spartan student, Sean Simpson.
In moments, a peaceful night turned upside down.
"Not ten minutes before he was in our apartment and it happened,” said Martin.
Both lived directly under the apartment where four Spartan students were shot, including Fain who died.
"This is mind blowing,” said Simpson.
Police are also puzzled.
"Shocking. I don't think anyone expected anything to occur. I think it was rapidly unfolding in front of folks,” said Tulsa Police Homicide Sergeant Dave Walker.
Investigators have been able to talk to the surviving victims who say one of the teens tried to stop the suspected shooter who also lived in the apartment where it happened.
"Something happened to stop the individual from shooting, he grabbed his arm," said Walker.
However, the harm was done and the shooter was quickly out the door.
"No one really understands the mindset of the shooter at the time when he started shooting,” said Walker.
Police say the accused gunman was arrested a short time later. Records show Hopkins is 20-years old than the victims. Police believe he may not have been expecting so many students to be in his apartment last night.
“Maybe there was a comment that was, ‘aren’t you people getting ready to leave?"’ said Walker. "This is one that is probably one when we critique to see if there is a way for us to intervene before this occurred the answer to that is no."
Police say Hopkins did not have run-ins with Tulsa police.
"I would never think that he would end up like this,” said Spartan student Andrew Sidhi.
Students tell FOX23 they have mixed emotions about security at the complex.
"They need to enforce more security rules, get more security guards, do more room searches," said Simpson.
Students tell FOX23 News room searches were done just two weeks ago.
Students say surveillance cameras even caught a student bringing in beer which is against the rules and so are guns.
"You feel like your privacy is taken away when they are coming into your place,” said Spartan student Dennis Carr.
A Spartan administrator told FOX23 News that security will be evaluated.
"I don't know what changes needed to be made but if there are changes that need to be made we will change," said Spartan Vice President of Training Aviation, Douglas Yost.
Students showed FOX23 News cellphone text messages that alerted students about the shootings Thursday night and sent alerts to cancel class on Friday.
Detectives say Spartan has one of the most stringent security teams in town.
"They're on it,” said Walker.
Of the 15 homicides in Tulsa this year, detectives report nine were in apartment complexes.
"If a murder can happen in this complex with that type of arrangement I don't see that is our fault or the public's fault,” said Walker.
TPD reports in the last five years, there has been one murder within a one-mile radius of Spartan Landing. The most common crime are burglaries with a total of 389 since 2008.
"Spartan wants us to be safe, they want everyone to be safe,” said Martin.
Spartan College plans to reopen on Monday.
Jail records show Hopkins faces First-Degree Murder charges and three counts of Shooting With Intent to Kill. He is being held without bond.
