UPDATE: President Mark Rudin releases names & additional details on campus shooting
February 4, 2020
By: Joseph Miller & Drew Ivery | Co-Editors
The Texas A&M University-Commerce Police Department has confirmed the identities of the victims in yesterday’s shooting on campus.
The first victim identified is Deja Matts, a 19-year-old freshman at A&M-Commerce that was studying for a Bachelor of Science in Public Health. The second victim is 20-year-old Abbaney Matts, sister of Deja. Abbaney Matts was not an enrolled student at A&M-Commerce. The Matts sisters were from Garland, Texas.
The third victim, the two-year-old son of Abbaney Matts, was treated and released in the care of family members.
University Police Department (UPD) stated that the shooting appeared to be a targeted, isolated event. The investigation is ongoing with multiple law enforcement agencies involved.
According to Bryan Vaughn, UPD Chief of Police, on Monday the UPD received a phone call from a student that lived in Pride Rock at 10:17 a.m. and officers responded.
At 11:31 a.m. students received an email stating that UPD was working a crime scene at the Pride Rock Resident Hall and asked students, staff and faculty to shelter in place.
At 11:42 a.m. an additional email was sent restating the previous email with the addition of classes being cancelled for the remainder of the day.
At 12:45 p.m. email updates from the university confirmed that there were 2 confirmed deaths and one person injured in the shooting. The emergency shelter was still in place at this time.
The emergency shelter was lifted at 1:25 p.m. with the Pride Rock Residence Hall and surrounding area still being blocked off.
A&M-Commerce cancelled classes through Wednesday and professional counselors are available in the Halladay Student Services building on campus or by calling 903.886.5145 for anyone who needs assistance.

Drew Ivery is from Winnsboro, Texas. He is a senior at Texas A&M University-Commerce and currently living in Commerce, Texas. He is a former two-time...
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