{
  "id": "2023-09-28-western-michigan-university-shooting",
  "slug": "western-michigan-university-shooting-2023-09-28",
  "institution": {
    "name": "Western Michigan University",
    "shortName": "WMU",
    "state": "MI",
    "type": "public-r2",
    "alertSystemName": "WMU Alert",
    "enrollment": 19000
  },
  "incident": {
    "date": "2023-09-28",
    "type": "shooting",
    "cleryCategory": "advisory",
    "resolution": "confirmed-threat",
    "headline": "Advisory after a nearby shooting; suspect fled away from campus",
    "headlinePublic": "Advisory after a nearby shooting; suspect fled away from campus",
    "summary": "On September 28, 2023, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety responded to a [shooting in the 900 block of W Lovell Street](https://www.westernherald.com/news/article_d5cb4d56-5e1c-11ee-aee2-2b2babe76847.html), just west of the Western Michigan University campus. WMU issued an advisory alert at approximately 11:00 AM EDT warning the community, with an [update at noon confirming the suspect had fled away from campus](https://www.woodtv.com/news/kalamazoo-county/kzoo-police-looking-for-witnesses-of-shooting-near-wmu/).",
    "outcome": "Two men were shot near a Circle K gas station at the corner of West Lovell Street and Oakland Drive, just west of WMU. Tyrone Jerome Potts, 35, of Kalamazoo, was transported to a hospital and died from his injuries; the other victim was shot several times and survived. The suspect fled in a white Dodge Journey (Michigan plate 7PJS08). Brendan Smith, 31, of Kalamazoo, was arrested on October 16, 2023 and charged with open murder; he later pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and felony firearm. No WMU students or campus community members were reported harmed.",
    "casualties": {
      "killed": 1,
      "injured": 1
    }
  },
  "alerts": [
    {
      "sequence": 1,
      "type": "initial",
      "timestampApprox": "Approximately 11:00 AM EDT on September 28, 2023",
      "channel": "push-notification",
      "verbatimText": "KDPS is responding to the 900 block of W Lovell in regards to a shooting investigation. Avoid the area.",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": true,
      "sourceUrl": "https://www.westernherald.com/news/article_d5cb4d56-5e1c-11ee-aee2-2b2babe76847.html",
      "sourceDescription": "Western Herald (WMU student newspaper), which quoted the 11 a.m. advisory verbatim",
      "annotations": [
        "Verbatim text of the 11 a.m. EDT advisory as quoted by the Western Herald, attributed to the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety alert to the WMU community",
        "The shooting occurred west of the WMU campus in the city of Kalamazoo",
        "WMU issued this as an advisory rather than an emergency notification, indicating the threat was not on campus"
      ],
      "characterCount": 103
    },
    {
      "sequence": 2,
      "type": "all-clear",
      "timestampApprox": "Approximately 12:00 PM EDT on September 28, 2023",
      "channel": "push-notification",
      "verbatimText": "",
      "isVerbatimConfirmed": false,
      "sourceDescription": "Reconstructed from Western Herald and WOOD-TV reporting",
      "annotations": []
    }
  ],
  "context": "On September 28, 2023, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety responded to a [shooting investigation in the 900 block of W Lovell Street](https://www.westernherald.com/news/article_d5cb4d56-5e1c-11ee-aee2-2b2babe76847.html), located west of Western Michigan University's main campus. The shooting was one of [several violent incidents near the WMU campus in 2023](https://wmich.edu/president/we-mourn-recent-tragic-losses-life), including a fatal shooting in April at the Westchester Woods Apartments and another fatal shooting on W Michigan Avenue the same month. WMU President Edward Montgomery addressed the series of shootings, stating the university mourned the recent losses of life. The [Kalamazoo police sought witnesses](https://www.woodtv.com/news/kalamazoo-county/kzoo-police-looking-for-witnesses-of-shooting-near-wmu/) and continued their investigation. The proximity of these incidents to campus led to increased concerns about off-campus safety and prompted discussions about expanding WMU police patrol areas and enhancing campus security technology.",
  "keyFindings": [
    "WMU classified this as an advisory rather than an emergency notification; the shooting occurred off campus and the suspect fled away from campus",
    "This was the third shooting near the WMU campus in 2023; WMU's president publicly addressed the series of nearby shootings",
    "The alert update confirmed the suspect fled away from campus, reducing the threat level"
  ],
  "sources": [
    {
      "title": "Shooting occurs near WMU campus (Western Herald)",
      "url": "https://www.westernherald.com/news/article_d5cb4d56-5e1c-11ee-aee2-2b2babe76847.html",
      "type": "student-newspaper"
    },
    {
      "title": "Kalamazoo police looking for witnesses of shooting near WMU (WOOD-TV)",
      "url": "https://www.woodtv.com/news/kalamazoo-county/kzoo-police-looking-for-witnesses-of-shooting-near-wmu/",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "We mourn recent tragic losses of life (WMU President)",
      "url": "https://wmich.edu/president/we-mourn-recent-tragic-losses-life",
      "type": "official-archive"
    },
    {
      "title": "1 dead in shooting near Western Michigan University (WWJ Radio)",
      "url": "https://www.audacy.com/wwjnewsradio/news/local/1-dead-in-shooting-near-western-michigan-university-police",
      "type": "local-media"
    },
    {
      "title": "Man pleads guilty to 2023 murder in connection to Kalamazoo Circle K shooting (WWMT)",
      "url": "https://wwmt.com/news/local/circle-k-shooting-kalamazoo-murder-guilty-plea-brendan-smith-tyrone-potts-2023",
      "type": "local-media"
    }
  ],
  "confidence": "medium",
  "tags": [
    "shooting",
    "off-campus",
    "advisory",
    "michigan",
    "public-university",
    "neighborhood-violence"
  ],
  "dateAdded": "2026-04-04",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-07-16",
  "addedBy": "ingestion"
}