The third suspect in Saturday’s fatal shooting of a Mississippi State University turned himself into law enforcement authorities today in Florida.
Trent Deundra Crump, 21, of Flowood, surrendered to authorities, after investigators with the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations released information about his travel.
MSU officials subsequently issued a public call for help in locating Crump, who now is being held by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Department in Gainesville, Fla. on an outstanding capital murder warrant.
The two other suspects — Dontae Harvey and Mason Perry Jones, 21, of Jackson — Monday were arrested and charged with capital murder in the death of John Sanderson, 21, who recently transferred to MSU from Holmes Community College.
“The dedication and hard work of our campus police and the extraordinary cooperation of assisting law enforcement agencies have resulted in the swift apprehension of those we believe are responsible for this tragic incident,” said MSU President Dr. Mark Keenum.
Sanderson was shot multiple times outside a dorm room on the first floor of Evans Hall, Saturday night.
Police have not disclosed a possible motive for the crime, but MSU spokeswoman Maridith Geuder said the sale of a controlled substance is the underlying charge in the capital murder charge.
Sanderson, who lived in Rice Hall, probably was “visiting” Evans Hall the night of the shooting, said MSU Vice President of Student Affairs Bill Kibler.
Evans Hall, one of the older dormitories on campus, is arranged as a quadrangle. The first floor, where the incident occurred, opens into a courtyard. The three higher floors have balconies overlooking the courtyard. The dormitory, which holds about 300 male students, has two main entrances — the north entrance accesses the first floor and the south entrance accesses the second floor, which features a game room and office, along with residents’ rooms.
“This is the first time in our school’s history that such a tragic event has occurred involving a student being shot on campus,” Keenum said Sunday. “Our campus is known as a safe place, and I want to assure students, parents, faculty and staff that it continues to be safe.”
Entry to dormitory rooms is gained through three levels requiring key-card access — at exterior entrances, entrances to wings or floors and at residents’ rooms.
However, the key-card access system was not activated at the time of the shooting, which occurred before 10 p.m. And, Kibler noted, non-residents can be brought into the dorm by residents, at any hour.
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