Reflecting on Mississippi’s Deadly Homecoming Weekend

A Deadly October in Mississippi

October 2025 has seen a number of deadly shootings across the state, particularly in relation to HBCU and high school homecoming celebrations. The most devastating occurred in Leland, a small town of roughly 3,700 residents, where six people were killed and 26 were shot or injured following the high school homecoming football game. Simultaneously, shootings at Heidelberg High School and South Delta High School added to the mounting toll of violence, with three fatalities in Heidelberg and one near South Delta High School.

Shootings also occurred on two Mississippi HBCU campuses: Jackson State University and Alcorn State University. Gunfire disrupted homecoming festivities, resulting in injuries and deaths. 

At Jackson State University, a shooting broke out near the tailgate area outside Mississippi Veterans Memorial Stadium on West Street during the school’s homecoming game. According to Hinds County Sheriff and Interim Jackson Police Chief Tyree Jones, an 11-year-old child was shot in the abdomen and rushed to University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC). The Mississippi Department of Public Safety confirmed the injury, and law enforcement urged all attendees to clear the area immediately as they secured the scene.

At Alcorn State, shots were fired near the Industrial Technology Building around 6:30 p.m., killing 29-year-old Brekyra Fisher of Vicksburg and injuring two others. The campus was placed on lockdown, and students were ordered to shelter in place until the all-clear was given. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation (MBI) has since taken over the case.

The Mississippi Gun Violence Crisis

Mississippi consistently ranks among the states with the highest gun death rates in the nation. In 2023, the state recorded the highest overall firearm death rate in the nation, with an average of one person dying by gun-related suicide or homicide every ten hours. 

Gun violence also disproportionately affects Black Mississippians—particularly young Black males aged 15 to 34, who represent only 5.4% of the state population but accounted for nearly half of all gun homicide victims that year. In a national context, Black Mississippians were eight times as likely to die by gun homicide than their white counterparts in 2023. 

Much of this violence is concentrated in rural areas like the Mississippi Delta. Fred Womack, founder of an organization in Jackson called Operation Good, whose mission includes reducing recidivism and training people for jobs, has dedicated himself to trying to disrupt cycles of violence. He said Tuesday that he often reminds his colleagues in other parts of the country that “what they go through don’t even compare to what we have to go through in the South. Because in the South, guns is like having a bottle of water [sic]. Everybody got it. And then it’s a right-to-carry state. It’s a castle doctrine state. It’s constant gun shows every other week in Mississippi somewhere. So guns are just bloody in Mississippi.”

A History of HBCU Violence 

October’s shootings are part of a disturbing pattern of threats and attacks targeting Mississippi’s HBCUs. In 2022, at least 19 HBCUs received a spate of bomb threats that eventually required investigation by the Department of Homeland Security. These threats, in a study conducted by Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED Data), were most commonly made during Black History Month. In Mississippi, 10 threats were reported February 1st and April 6th in 2022— the highest number of any state. Nearly half of the bomb threats in Mississippi occurred in Tunica in northwest Mississippi, including a threat against Tunica Elementary School, one of only two recorded threats against an elementary school nationwide

In September 2025, Mississippi HBCUs were once again on high alert. In the wake of Charlie Kirk’s shooting, a series of terroristic threats targeting HBCUs nationwide led to lockdowns, class cancellations, and disrupted campus activities at multiple institutions. Although no injuries were reported and the FBI confirmed no credible threats, institutions responded with caution. In response, even Mississippi HBCUs who were not directly threatened increased security and faced significant anxiety. 

Aftershocks 

Womack, founder of Jackson’s Operation Good, said that he had been trying to get officials to fund an expansion of his violence disruption work into rural areas, especially the Delta— but to no avail. Though communities across the nation were disturbed by the Friday night football gun deaths across Mississippi, Womack didn’t express surprise.

In an interview, Womack said, “Get us all together. You bring in alcohol. Then you bring in all the crazy drugs they got these days, and you got a state where everybody got at least 10 guns. What you asked for? You asked for violence.”

Many continue to call for increased security measures at large campus events and greater collaboration between university police and local law enforcement agencies. Others emphasize the need for deeper community intervention to prevent future tragedies.

In 2023, after another particularly deadly homecoming weekend across HBCUs (including another deadly shooting at Jackson State that killed student Jaylen Burns), many HBCUs strengthened security measures. But gun violence on campus remains a prevalent issue.

According to Leslie Hall, Director of the HBCU Program for the Human Rights Campaign, a myriad of factors contribute to the rise of gun violence at HBCUs including, “systemic issues like economic disparities, limited educational opportunities, and scarce employment prospects disproportionately affect Black communities, creating an environment conducive to violence.” Hall said that the neighborhoods HBCUs are located in also contributes to the “cycle of violence” as many HBCUs are located in impoverished areas. 

“Research shows that areas with higher rates of gun ownership tend to have higher rates of gun violence,” Hall added. Her recommendations back in 2023 were for HBCUs to strengthen campus security measures, implement violence prevention programs, and foster partnerships with local law enforcement agencies. 

And while many agree that security measures should be strengthened at HBCUs, some question how much security is too much.

A recent graduate from Morgan State, Raniya Holmes told the Washington Post that the issue is a “double-edged sword.” “I also know that police presence can be really intimidating for a lot of African Americans,” Homes noted, “So I’d really suggest if we are going to do that, make sure that we have police that are coming in that are competent.”

“It’s a very challenging endeavor for any leader of a college campus,” Bowie State President, Aminta H. Breaux said back in 2023. “The question we’re asking ourselves is, is there a better way that we can continue to respect and honor our tradition of homecoming, but then to recognize that we need to restrict in some way who comes onto our campus.”

HBCU advocate Joshua Sims Sr., host of the popular podcast HBCU Nightly, addressed this past week’s homecoming shootings on social media.

While some alumni and visitors have expressed frustration over stricter campus rules like earlier curfews and limited access, Sims Sr. rebuffed what he sees as a selfish viewpoint: “You upset because campuses are closing at 6, 7 o’clock? I don’t care — because it isn’t about you. You had your time. It’s about protecting those kids on that campus.” 

Sims Sr. also addressed a growing concern: the number of people attending HBCU homecomings who have no affiliation with the schools. “To those of you who neither attended the institution nor attended an institution, “ Sims Sr. decried, “Stop coming on these campuses trying to live something that you don’t have. It’s unfortunate, but this isn’t the place.”

A majority of violent incidents during this past homecoming weekend involved non-students. Yet, it’s the schools, students, and alumni who suffer the consequences.

As homecoming season continues, HBCU communities wrestle with difficult questions and multiple traumatic casualties. As Mississippi moves forward in the wake of both high school and HBCU shootings, it’s clear that there are no easy answers. 

Author administrator Corinne Ellington