WORCESTER, Mass. - Authorities are continuing to investigate the deadly shooting Saturday at Worcester State University, and the search for the suspect is ongoing.
The Worcester County District Attorney's Office said 18-year-old Kevin Rodriguez is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm and armed assault with intent to murder.
Police say Rodriguez, who last lived in Lawrence, is wanted in connection with the deadly shooting of 19-year-old Randy Armando Melendez Jr. early Saturday morning. Another person was also shot, but suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.
The DA says Rodriguez should be considered armed and dangerous. People are asked to call 911 immediately if they see him.
The school canceled classes for Monday, but the campus is opening back up, hosting football and field hockey games Monday night. Students said things are slowly getting back to normal.
“With classes canceled today, I think a lot of people feel more comfortable coming back to campus and giving themselves another day to just be here and just come back to what we would consider to be normal,” said first-year student Maryssa Eannuzzo.
“Yeah, we're easing back into it," said Emma Martelock, another first-year student. "We're going to Dunkin's, trying to get off campus for the day, trying to give ourselves another day to just process everything that happened. It's kind of sad. I mean, it is really sad.”
The incident unfolded around 2:30 a.m. Saturday, when University Police Chief Jason Kapurch said officers arrived at an on-campus parking lot and learned two people had been shot.
Worcester State was getting ready to host their annual homecoming and family weekend when the shooting took place.
“A lot of our friends’ parents came home, and all the games were canceled, and it was just a lot of parents were already on campus when it happened," Martelock said. "And it's just really sad. And we wanted to go to the hockey game, and it was canceled.”
None of the people involved were Worcester State students, but the incident still shook the campus community.
“Our hearts sunk," Martelock said. "It was just so sad. And everybody was, like, so freaked out. And, I mean, obviously, like, we were in Dowden and we're all the way back on campus. We didn't hear anything. But it was just it was really heartbreaking to find out about, honestly.”
“I think everyone for the most part, we all agreed that we were just going to go home," Eannuzzo said. "I mean, nobody really stayed on campus. It was a really tough night for people, especially everyone that saw it, experienced it.”
Worcester State has counseling resources available to all students and staff who may need it. The Southbridge Public Schools also had counselors available for its students on Monday.