On February 12, at 9:15 pm, gunfire silenced the South Carolina State University. The incident took place at the Hugine Suites, a student residential complex on campus. And as soon as it happened, the entire campus went into an immediate lockdown. Authorities lifted the lockdown at 5:00 am and reported that two individuals had died, and another suffered injuries.

The two victims who died were Henry Crittington, 19, of Orangeburg, and Terrell Thomas, 18, of Norway. They were on campus visiting a student. The injured victim, an SC State student, remains hospitalized, according to a statement from the school. The cause of death is being reported as apparent gunshot wounds.

The entire University and fans are in a terrible shock right now. The University has asked the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division to lead the investigation into this matter. The detectives and authorities remain on site to search for clues and narrow down the suspects.

The only probable eyewitness, Kaya Mack, was on campus when the shooting happened. She had just completed a food delivery on campus when the incident happened, and described the entire situation to the authorities.

“Their loud sirens kind of shook me,” she said to WLTX-TV. “We were looking around, other people on campus, and me, we’re all looking around like ‘What’s going on?’”

Just after this incident, the University cancelled all its classes for the day and advised the students to stay indoors. This incident marked the third time such violence has occured since last October. During homecoming celebrations last fall, two separate shootings occurred. And one of them was at the same student housing location that resulted in one death and two injuries.

Following the October shootings, school officials put in some safety measures like a monitored entry point for events, increased camera monitoring, and enhanced emergency communication protocols. President Alexander Conyers had previously stressed that the safety of students and visitors is a “top priority”. But it was unable to stop this latest tragedy.

One student told local news outlet WCSC, “I don’t feel safe low-key because they let anybody on this campus.” Another student highlighted the gaps in the security infrastructure at Hugine Suites. “Hugine is not really security, and there’s no cameras. Please, we need cameras in every Hugine Suite.”

Following this chain of events, the university will provide counseling services to help students cope. That’s a really good approach taken by the school, keeping in mind its historical presence as one of the two Black universities in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

Fans paid tributes after the shooting incident took two lives

This shooting incident at South Carolina State has shaken the entire country. Prayers and grief were expressed online by the community.

“Oh no, that’s absolutely heartbreaking. Prayers for the families and the wounded. This has to stop,” one person wrote.

At South Carolina State, this is the third time these shootings have occurred. Authorities had identified 19-year-old Jaliyah Butler as the victim of the October shootings. They have not yet released the names of those who died in yesterday’s shooting.

“Another shooting, when will this stop?” Another person chimed in.

Since the last academic year, at least 13 reported shooting incidents on or near HBCU campuses have occurred. It is directly tied to the football season’s social calendar. The actual number of shooting incidents that occurred is 64 at various colleges and universities. High-profile non-football events included a mass shooting at Brown University (December 13, 2025) that left two dead and eight injured.

“Violence on a college campus shakes an entire community. Wishing strength, healing, and clarity, as authorities investigate,” another fan added.

Exposure to violence, even if you are not injured during the incident, can spike mental disorders like PTSD, anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Events like these destroy the “safe haven” ideal of a university. And after Claflin University, South Carolina State is the second historically important HBCU school in the state. More than 3000 students enroll there, and they need to feel safe.

“This tragedy is heartbreaking. Students deserve safety on campus. Lives lost to senseless violence demand accountability and urgent prevention,” another fan wrote.

Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler put out his statement. “Let me be clear: violence has no place in Orangeburg and it does not reflect who we are as a community,” he said. “Orangeburg is a city rooted in resilience, education, faith, and unity. Moments like this test us, but they also remind us of the importance of standing together.”