The 25-year-old student who was killed at a fraternity party near the campus of Youngstown State University early Sunday morning was a former Ashland University student.

The Mahoning County coroner’s office identified the student as Jamail E. Johnson, of Youngstown. Johnson, according to AU’s Registrar’s Office, enrolled at Ashland in the fall of 2003 and withdrew before the fall 2005 semester. He then transferred to Youngstown in 2006, according to the YSU student newspaper, The Jambar.

“Regardless of if he [Johnson] was an AU student or not, our hearts go out to any community where such a tragedy occurs,” said Sue Heimann, Vice president for student affairs.

Heimann said the shooting was “a horrible, senseless tragedy” that was wrongfully committed against the students in the house.

“These were good, young people enjoying a break from their studies,” she said. “They did what was right in asking them [the gunmen] to leave.”

Johnson was killed and 11 injured when two men allegedly shot into the fraternity house after a dispute in which they were asked to leave.

This incident is the latest in a string of similar college tragedies that have occurred within the past five years.

Prior to the Youngstown shooting, at least 18 different colleges and universities around the United States have reportedly witnessed tragic shootings since 2007, including the Virginia Tech massacre and more recent incidents at Ohio State University and the University of Texas at Austin.

Dave McLaughlin, director of safety services at AU, said there is no more concern than normal for such an incident to occur at Ashland, but there are issues to consider with parties taking place at houses away from campus, similar to the house where the shooting occurred.

“In a situation like that, you’re more concerned with off-campus houses,” McLaughlin said, noting that “impromptu parties flare up and it gets out of hand.”

“I think it’s off-campus houses that need to be more proactive about ensuring the safety of their guests,” he said.

Considering that the house was a residence for several members of the Youngstown-sanctioned Omega Psi Phi fraternity, there are also safety issues to consider for the fraternities at Ashland, who live in their own on-campus houses without the same security as other dorm buildings.

Junior Mike Flerchinger, president of Phi Kappa Psi, is not worried about incidents with weapons at his house.

“I never think it’ll escalate to someone brandishing a firearm,” Flerchinger said. “Youngstown and Ashland are completely different cities. I don’t think there would be as high a risk [here].”

Junior Tom Julian, president of Tau Kappa Epsilon, said having fraternity houses are a blessing that can have potential dangers.

“This is an opportunity that most fraternities around the country do not have,” Julian said. “However, along with the houses come some risks that may need to be addressed by the fraternity and the school.”

Flerchinger and Julian do have deep sympathies for the fraternity members and their friends and families that have been affected by the shooting.

“I know it’s devastating when we have brothers who have to leave the university…I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose someone through death,” Flerchinger said. “I can’t imagine how much grief and strain they’re feeling.”

Heimann said the Youngstown faculty, students and families affected by this shooting will be in her prayers and she wants to remind all AU students of the resources available to support them through such a tragedy.