Shooter flees after wounding 4 at Clark Atlanta University

The Associated Press

5 years ago

The campus of Clark Atlanta University is seen Wednesday, April 21, 2019, in Atlanta. Four college students were wounded when a gunman opened fire into a crowd of 200 people outside a library near the university, Tuesday night, and then escaped in the chaos, authorities said. (AP Photo/Jeff Martin)

FILE – In this Feb. 12, 2009 file photo, people make their way on the Clark Atlanta University campus in Atlanta Ga. Four college students were wounded when a gunman opened fire into a crowd of 200 people outside a library near Clark Atlanta University and then escaped in the chaos, authorities said. All four injured women were in stable condition after the gunfire, which happened shortly after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2019. None of their injuries were life-threatening, Atlanta police said. (AP Photo/W.A. Harewood, File)

ATLANTA — Four college students were wounded when a gunman opened fire into a crowd of 200 people outside a library near Clark Atlanta University and then escaped in the chaos, authorities said.

All four injured women were in stable condition after the gunfire, which happened shortly after 10:30 p.m. Tuesday. None of their injuries were life-threatening, Atlanta police said.

The shooter had not yet been apprehended Wednesday morning.

The four students were shot outside a library that serves Clark Atlanta and other nearby historically black colleges.

The block party was celebrating the end of orientation for new students. Clark Atlanta students are scheduled to start school Wednesday.

Argument before shooting

An argument broke out between two parties and someone opened fire, investigators said. Video aired by WXIA-TV shows dozens of students running frantically after the gunshots were heard.

“It appears there were two separate groups that were targeting each other, and these people were just caught in the crossfire,” Atlanta police Capt. William Ricker told WSB-TV .

Two of the victims are 17-year-old and 18-year-old Spelman College students. Investigators believe the other two women are 18-year-old and 19-year-old Clark Atlanta students, police said.

“Evil will not have its way on our campus,” the Clark Atlanta University’s Office of Religious Life said on social media as it announced details of a prayer vigil planned for noon Wednesday.