Campus Alert Archive
Sac State

Spring Break Shooting at the Light Rail: One Dead at the 65th Street Station as Suspects Flee Onto Campus

CAshootingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On March 21, 2024, one person was killed and two were injured in a shooting at the University/65th Street light rail station adjacent to Sacramento State's campus. The suspects then carjacked a vehicle on nearby Folsom Boulevard and abandoned it in a campus parking lot, prompting Sac State police to assist in the search. Students criticized the university for relying solely on email during spring break rather than sending text alerts.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
1
Injured
2
Institution
California State University, Sacramento
Public Masters · CA
~32,000 studentsSac State ENS
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages in sequence

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 ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction242 chars
Sac State Police are assisting the Sacramento Police Department in searching the levee to the east of campus for two suspects involved in a carjacking near 65th Street and Folsom Boulevard. There is no immediate threat to campus at this time.

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

Reconstructed from The State Hornet reporting on the campus response
The email was sent at approximately 4:30 PM PDT on March 21, 2024, roughly 75 minutes after the shooting was reported around 3:15 PM PDT
The announcement was sent only via email, which students criticized as insufficient during spring break when students are less likely to check institutional email
FOLLOW-UPEmail
Approximate reconstruction332 chars
Sac State Police are aware of the shooting and carjacking incidents that occurred near campus yesterday. While campus police were assisting in the search for the suspects, concerned individuals who reached out were told to shelter in place as a precaution. The University and Sac State Police are reviewing communication procedures.

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

Reconstructed from The State Hornet student newspaper coverage
This follow-up announcement on March 22, 2024 acknowledged that some individuals had been told to shelter in place informally
The university confirmed it was reviewing its communication procedures in response to student concerns about the lack of text alerts
Context

Background

On the afternoon of March 21, 2024, during Sacramento State's spring break, the Sacramento Police Department responded to a shooting at the University/65th Street light rail station at approximately 3:15 PM PDT. Three victims were found at the station: 25-year-old Levell Murphy was pronounced dead at the scene, while a man and woman were transported to a local hospital with injuries. The suspects then carjacked a vehicle at gunpoint from a nearby gym on Folsom Boulevard and abandoned the stolen Honda Civic in Parking Lot 2 on campus. Sac State police assisted Sacramento PD in searching the levee east of campus. The university sent an email notification at approximately 4:30 PM PDT but did not issue text alerts, leading to significant student criticism about communication gaps during spring break. Two juvenile suspects were later arrested and booked into juvenile hall. The light rail station reopened by the start of service on Friday, March 22, 2024.
Analysis

Key Findings

The university relied on email-only notification during spring break, prompting widespread student criticism about the adequacy of campus communication
The carjacked vehicle was abandoned directly on campus in Parking Lot 2, bringing the incident's aftermath onto university property
The initial campus notification came roughly 75 minutes after the shooting was reported
Outcome
The victim, 25-year-old Levell Murphy, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other victims were transported to a hospital. Two juvenile suspects, ages 16 and 17, were later arrested and booked into juvenile hall.
Provenance

Sources

  1. Student Paper
    BREAKING: One dead and two injured in near-campus shooting and carjacking (The State Hornet)
    statehornet.com
  2. Student Paper
    The near-campus shooting and carjacking: What we know (The State Hornet)
    statehornet.com
  3. News
    Levell Murphy identified as man killed in Sacramento light rail station shooting (ABC10)
    abc10.com
  4. Student Paper
    Shooting and carjacking incidents leave Sac State students wishing for more communication (The State Hornet)
    statehornet.com
Tags
shootinglight-railcarjackingcaliforniaspring-breakcommunication-failurejuvenile-suspectsnear-campus
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion