Students react to fatal MTSU shooting

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Middle Tennessee State University students were surprised Wednesday following a fatal shooting following a high school graduation at Murphy Center on campus.

College juniors Madi Konet and her roommate Marisa Stramagila told News4 they were moving into their new dorm on the MTSU campus Wednesday, preparing for what they believed to be a fun summer living at college and away from their parents. They were taking a walk around campus when they received a notification from university officials that a shooting had taken place.

“Marisa got the notification first and told me we had to run,” Konet told News4. “I didn’t believe her for a minute, but luckily Marisa took it more seriously than I did.”

Police confirmed the death of one person in the shooting during the Riverdale High School graduation at Murphy Center near the tennis courts. They also said another was injured in the incident and is now in critical condition.

The students said they didn’t hear the gunshots; however the incident took place less than a mile away from their dorm. Konet and Stramagila then ran home and sheltered in place.

“This really hits close to home now,” Stramagila told News4. “It makes me question my choice of living on campus this summer.”

Konet added that their parents and friends had initially found out about the incident thanks to local media coverage, not MTSU.

“Over the summer, there isn’t any supervision, and anything could happen,” Konet said. “I just hope now the school will take things like this more seriously.”

MTSU shared the following statement Thursday following the event:

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