Catholic University gathers in prayer after homicide on campus; suspect remains at large
Students at the Catholic University of America gathered to mourn the shooting death of an out-of-town visitor in front of one of its buildings as the search continues for the perpetrator.
In a statement, Catholic University announced that the campus community gathered outside Father O’Connell Hall on Thursday to mourn and pray for Maxwell Emerson, a Kentucky high school teacher visiting from out of town shot dead there one day earlier.
“We certainly gather for the repose of his soul, consolation for his family and friends,” said CUA Chaplain and Director of Campus Ministry Rev. Aquinas Gilbeau as he addressed those gathered at the prominent campus building located on Michigan Ave. in the Brookland neighborhood of Washington, D.C. “We pray for the police as they investigate and continue to piece together the circumstances of this tragedy.”
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As he led the prayer service, Gilbeau expressed hope that “the children of God bring the light of Christ’s resurrection to this time of pain and testing.” He rededicated O’Connell Hall toward the end of the ceremony in addition to extending blessings to the crowd.
Catholic University President Peter Kilpatrick reacted to the tragedy by offering his prayers to the “individual who senselessly lost his life,” adding, “Every human life is made in the image and likeness of God, and we pray for the end of such violence and to help build a culture that treasures all life.”
The university first informed the campus community of the shooting in a communication published Wednesday: “We are aware that there was an incident of violence that resulted in a fatality this morning at Catholic University. There is no present danger to the University Community.”
“We are working with the Metropolitan D.C. police department to determine what happened. According to MPD, it is believed that the two individuals involved knew each other and this was not a random incident,” the statement added. “MPD is continuing their investigation and we will continue to update the community. We ask that you pray for the victim who died and law enforcement who are determining what occurred.”
The Metropolitan Police Department elaborated on the details of the shooting in a statement.
“Detectives from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Homicide Branch are investigating a homicide that occurred on Wednesday, July 5, 2023, in the 600 Block of Alumni Lane, Northeast," the statement reads. "At approximately 8:22 am, Fourth District officers responded to the listed location for the report of a shooting.”
“Upon arrival, officers located an adult male shooting victim. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the victim to an area hospital where despite all lifesaving efforts, the victim succumbed to his injuries.”
After identifying the victim as Maxwell Emerson of Crestwood, Kentucky, the Department noted that it is offering a $25,000 reward for anyone with information that could lead to the arrest or conviction of the perpetrator, as it does in all homicide cases. Two days later, the Metropolitan Police Department released pictures captured by a surveillance camera, revealing the suspect, a light-skinned male, wearing a dark T-shirt and blue jeans and pink Crocs.
In an interview with local news outlet Fox 5 DC, Emerson’s father, Steve, insisted that “we know for a fact he did not know this person,” referring to the suspect. Emerson’s mother, Chandra, reported receiving a Snapchat message from her son in the moments before his death, which read, “Help. Bring ribbed At cub point.”
“I figured out that it said ‘being robbed at gun point,’” she explained.
At a press conference Thursday, Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Chief Leslie Parsons stated that “Detectives observed the victim and suspect walking together.”
Chandra Emerson pushed back on the idea that the suspect knew her son, suggesting that “the guy just came up on him, and he just had that amount of time to send me that text.” She vowed to “forgive this person,” maintaining that her late son would want her to do so.
As indicated in the Fox 5 report, the Emersons were in town to sightsee, and Max Emerson was there to attend a conference at the Library of Congress. His parents believe he had his cell phone and belongings stolen from him as he headed to the Washington Metro en route to the conference. Nearly a week after the homicide, the suspect remains at large.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: [email protected]
