Port Karsten University shooting

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The Port Karsten University ocurred on 13.XI.1700 AN at the main campus of Port Karsten University in Port Karsten, Isles of Caputia, in the Federation of Nouvelle Alexandrie. Six people were injured, three law enforcement officers were killed in an attempt to subdue the gunman.

Shooting

The shooter was followed by CCTV and other security cameras on the main campus of Port Karsten University, one of the largest private institutions of higher learning in the region of the Isles of Caputia. The shooter entered a building on campus around 9:00am, wielding a shotgun of as of yet unknown provenance. Camera footage shows the shooter being attacked by a security guard before the shooter overpowered the guard and killed him. The gunshots were heard throughout the building, which triggered nearby school administrators and teachers to react and call law enforcement and campus security to subdue the shooter.

Local law enforcement and Federal Gendarmerie arrived at the scene and sought to subdue the gunman, resulting in a gun fight that ended with two local law enforcement officers dying from gunshot wounds.

The shooter was apprehended by authorities and injured in the course of the gun fight, he was later taken to Port Karsten General Hospital for treatment with proper police escort. The shooter was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Port Karsten General Hospital in a critical condition. Once the attacker's condition was stabilised he was removed to a Federal facility on the order of Vice President Augustus Strong for intensive interrogation.

Victims

• Six wounded: four students, two teachers (not counting injured shooter);
• Three killed: one campus security officer, two local law enforcement officers.

Suspect

The suspect has been indentified as Eustaquio Duran, a 21 year old science student at Port Karsten University. Duran is in his third year of studies, pursuing a bachelor's degree in biochemistry with a minor in physics.

In 1696 AN, freshly out of secondary school, Duran joined the Federal Forces of Nouvelle Alexandrie, but was discharged after two months. His discharge was due to, according to the Federal Forces, "failure to meet minimum standards" of basic training. After his discharge from the Federal Forces, Duran enrolled at Port Karsten University. Classmates and teachers describe Duran as a smart, applied student who saw the opportunity to pursue his passion for biology and chemistry as a second chance to prosper after his discharge. In his first two years, he excelled at his studies, often pursuing semesters that were heavy in classes and extracurricular activities.

Investigators have discovered that Duran maintained several social media accounts on Tweeter and other platforms. He maintained profiles in which he presented his life as a student and had friends and family as his social media friends. He also maintained profiles where he seemed to display an "alter ego" that he used to vent his frustrations with work, school, life, and the effects of his discharge from the Federal Forces. Duran shared posts in his "alter ego" account stating that he was suffering from depression and anxiety. In the three weeks leading up to the shooting, he shared posts detailing his frustration with his heavy class load and with Port Karsten University's financial aid process, stating that the college had denied him the ability to borrow more money to pay for his studies.

According to the Post Karsten Times, unnamed law enforcement sources have described the shooter as a "mentally unstable, hate-filled person". The Port Karsten Times has also confirmed that the shooter's weapon, a shotgun, was acquired legally.

Aftermath

Faculty, local residents, and students have built a makeshift memorial just outside the Science and Technology Building, next to the sign labelling the building. Flowers, letters, pictures, and other notes of appreciation and mourning have begun to collect.

Federal response

His Excellency the Vice-President of the Council of State, Augustus Strong, departed from the Federal Capital District for the Isles of Caputia, so as to directly supervise the cross-agency response to the shooting incident. The Vice-President consulted with the Regional Governor and with Regional Sector Cadres of the Federal Humanist Party during his time on the islands.

The shooting exposed deficiencies in the training and equipment of local law enforcement on the island, and perhaps more widely across the Federation. The Vice-President accordingly authorised the transfer of surplus rifles and flak jackets to regional, state, and municipal law enforcement agencies upon application.

Protect Our Children

Two weeks after the event, the mothers of the slain law enforcement officials held a press conference together, after writing hand penned letters to media organizations asking them to come to the steps of the Cortes Federales in Cárdenas. The mothers talked about their sons, law enforcement, and sacrifice. They announced the creation of the Committee to Protect Our Children, a political fundraising committee that would raise funds to contribute to the campaigns of political parties or individual Deputies of the Federal Assembly who favor creating national gun control standards.