Campus Alert Archive
GSU

Shots Between Dorms at Grambling State Lead to Shelter-in-Place and 10 PM Curfew After Fight Spills onto Campus

LAshootingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

At approximately 10 p.m. CST on August 13, 2020, shots were fired between Pinchback and Douglass Halls at Grambling State University following a large fight. University police immediately responded and issued a shelter-in-place order via the campus emergency alert system. A non-student was injured with non-life-threatening wounds. No GSU students were shot in the incident.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
1
Institution
Grambling State University
Hbcu · LA
~4,500 studentsGSU Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Verified verbatimMYARKLAMISS (KTVE NBC 10) coverage of the August 13, 2020 Grambling State shooting, quoting the verbatim GSU campus alert text129 chars
A firearm has been discharged on campus by Douglass and Pinchback. Please contact campus police at 274-2222 with any information.
Verbatim text preserved in MYARKLAMISS (KTVE NBC 10) coverage of the August 13, 2020 shooting between Pinchback and Douglass Halls at approximately 10 p.m. CST
The alert notably omits the words 'shelter in place' or 'lockdown' -- instead directing witnesses to call campus police, suggesting the initial alert was oriented toward information-gathering rather than immediate shelter-in-place
The 10 p.m. curfew implemented immediately after this incident applied to all students living on campus
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstruction353 chars
GSU Alert: The shelter-in-place has been lifted. A non-student was injured and is receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. No students were injured. Effective immediately, a 10 p.m. curfew is in place for all campus residents until further notice. Enhanced security measures are now active. Report any suspicious activity to campus police.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The immediate 10 p.m. curfew -- announced the same night -- was an unusual and aggressive response from university administration
The GSU president's statement specifically confirmed no students were involved or injured, an important distinction given community concerns about campus safety
This was the fourth shooting at or near Grambling State in roughly three years, contributing to growing criticism of campus security policy
The curfew was implemented during the early days of the fall 2020 semester -- a period of particular vulnerability as students were returning during COVID-19
Context

Background

Grambling State University in northern Louisiana continued to grapple with recurring gun violence in August 2020. The August 13 shooting occurred between Pinchback and Douglass Halls in the residential heart of campus at approximately 10 p.m. Two non-students had a dispute earlier that day that escalated and eventually moved onto campus grounds. GSU police immediately deployed a shelter-in-place notification and were on the scene. The injured non-student was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and GSU President Rick Gallot confirmed in a statement that no students were involved in the altercation. The university announced enhanced security measures and a 10 p.m. curfew effective immediately, adding access control checkpoints and increased patrols. The Louisiana Illuminator later reported that Grambling experienced at least one shooting per year for five consecutive years between 2017 and 2021. The 2020 incident stood out because it happened in a residential zone between dormitories, raising questions about physical access barriers on a small, historically open campus.
Analysis

Key Findings

Shots fired between two residential halls -- placing gunfire directly in the student living area -- marked an escalation from prior GSU incidents that occurred at or near event venues
A 10 p.m. campus curfew was imposed the same night and sustained for multiple days, an unusually swift and sweeping administrative response
The Grambling shooting pattern (at least one per year 2017-2021) was confirmed in investigative reporting by the Louisiana Illuminator, providing documented context for this incident
No students were injured, but the proximity to occupied dormitories made this incident particularly alarming for campus safety professionals
Outcome
One non-student injured with non-life-threatening injuries. A 10 p.m. curfew was imposed immediately after the incident and remained in effect. Enhanced security measures including additional checkpoints were implemented.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    UPDATE: Grambling State University president says students not involved in overnight shooting (MYARKLAMISS/KTVE NBC 10)
    myarklamiss.com
  2. News
    Grambling State increases security, adds curfew after Aug. 13 shooting - KNOE
    knoe.com
  3. News
    Grambling issues 10 p.m. curfew Friday after shooting injures non-student Thursday - The Advocate
    theadvocate.com
  4. Official
    Grambling State University Increases Security After Incident on Campus - Grambling State News
    news.gram.edu
  5. News
    Grambling State University has had at least one shooting per year over the last five years - Louisiana Illuminator
    lailluminator.com
Tags
hbcugrambling-stateresidential-hallnon-studentcurfewshelter-in-placelouisianapattern-of-violencecovid-semester
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion