Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker and Police Chief Steve Rogers update the media after four females were stabbed on the campus of Louisiana Tech.
After four females were stabbed on Louisiana Tech’s campus Monday morning, Ruston Mayor Ronny Walker said 23-year-old Jacoby Johnson of Rayville was taken into custody. And while a motive has not been released Walker asked members of the public to reach out for help when they have mental health issues.
“This is a very random situation that happened. It can happen in any community, any city, it doesn’t matter how big or how small you are. But we’ll pull together like we always do,” said. Walker.
The names of the victims were not released but two are in critical but stable condition and another in stable condition. Walker said the fourth victim did not seek medical care.
Walker said the ages of the victims were 62, 65, 72, and 23. He said three were students taking a class at the Lambright Center and one was an instructor.
A LA Tech student spoke to us about the incident and while she did not witness it, the junior said there was a lack of communication and she questioned why the school was never put on lockdown.
“We need to maintain student safety otherwise something like this could happen again and I feel like it’s more dangerous of an environment when people are on edge or unsure of what’s going on,”
Walker said while there’s plenty of speculation as to what happened.
“What we do know for sure is all four were either instructors or taking a class at the Lambright and had exited the building and were either on the sidewalk or parking lot when this happened,” said Walker.
And while the student we spoke to, who asked not to be identified, said before Monday’s incident she wasn’t signed up with the school’s emergency response system, she believes students and faculty should have been emailed updates also.
“I think we needed to go on lockdown because, at that point, no information was released as to whether or not he was acting alone, why he stabbed anybody and there’s still no information on that. They say it was a random attack.”
The school is holding a candlelight vigil on the school’s campus this evening and a blood drive on Thursday. LA Tech is also offering group counseling sessions for students impacted by the incident.
Today, our community was shaken by events that occurred at Louisiana Tech University. The stabbings, reported around 9 a.m. at the Lambright Sports and Wellness Center, are deeply disturbing for all of us in the City of Ruston. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this difficult time.
Law enforcement agencies responded swiftly to the incident, and the suspect, identified as a Louisiana Tech student, was apprehended without delay by University police. We are committed to working closely with the University and relevant authorities to ensure a thorough examination of the circumstances.
The safety and well-being of our residents, including the students, faculty, and staff of Louisiana Tech University, are of paramount importance. We are grateful for the cooperation and coordination between the City’s law enforcement, emergency medical services, Lincoln Parish Sheriff, the University, and North Louisiana Medical Center in managing the situation.
As we await further updates from the ongoing investigation, I encourage our community to come together in support of one another. Louisiana Tech Counseling Services will hold group sessions this afternoon on the third floor of Keeny Hall continuing through the rest of this week. In addition, tomorrow night, there will be a student-led prayer vigil at 6:00 pm at the Quad on the Louisiana Tech campus. There will also be a blood drive Thursday, November 16 at Tolliver Hall from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
I want to take this time to emphasize the importance of mental health awareness. It is crucial that we come together as a community to support and promote mental well-being. We urge anyone in need of assistance to utilize any resources available.
The City of Ruston stands united in the face of adversity, and we remain committed to maintaining the safety and security of our community. Further information will be shared as it becomes available.
Mayor Ronny Walker
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