Campus Alert Archive
JSU

Armed and Dangerous on Campus for Days: JSU Warns Students About Patrick Brookshire Before Partial Lockdown

MSarmed persontimely warningmedium confidence
Under Investigation

On February 19, 2019, Jackson State University issued a campus crime alert warning that Patrick A. Brookshire had been seen on campus multiple times over several days and was believed to be armed and dangerous. Brookshire faced charges including aggravated assault and auto theft and was wanted for questioning in additional crimes. A portion of the campus had previously been placed on lockdown, which was lifted before the alert was issued. Students were instructed not to approach Brookshire and to call campus police immediately if they saw him.

Alerts
1
Response
—
Killed
0
Injured
0
Institution
Jackson State University
Hbcu · MS
~6,300 studentsJSU Emergency Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

1 message in sequence

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTEmail
Approximate reconstruction521 chars
CRIME ALERT: Jackson State University Police Department is seeking assistance in locating Patrick A. Brookshire, who has been seen on campus multiple times over several days. Brookshire is believed to be ARMED AND DANGEROUS. He faces charges including aggravated assault and auto theft and is wanted for questioning in other crimes. If you see Brookshire, DO NOT APPROACH. Call JSU Police immediately at 601-979-2580 or dial 911. A portion of campus was previously on lockdown; that lockdown has been lifted at this time.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

The alert specified Brookshire had been seen 'multiple times over several days' before the formal crime alert was issued -- suggesting JSU Police were tracking his movements before going public
The partial campus lockdown that preceded the alert was already lifted when the crime alert went out, meaning the alert served as a Clery Act timely warning rather than an active emergency notification
Brookshire's charges -- aggravated assault and auto theft -- indicated prior violent behavior, justifying the 'armed and dangerous' designation
This is a textbook Clery Act timely warning: a known individual with violent charges, recent campus sightings, and a continuing threat to campus safety warranting student notification even without an ongoing lockdown
Context

Background

Jackson State University is a historically Black university located in Jackson, Mississippi, one of the US cities with persistently high violent crime rates. In February 2019, JSU issued a campus-wide crime alert after Patrick A. Brookshire -- described as armed and dangerous -- was spotted on campus multiple times over several days. WDAM reported that a portion of campus had been placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure before the formal alert went out, and that the lockdown had been lifted. WLBT confirmed the alert directed students to contact JSU Police at 601-979-2580 if they spotted Brookshire. The incident illustrates a challenge particularly acute at urban HBCUs: when individuals from surrounding high-crime neighborhoods enter campus grounds and pose a documented threat, universities must balance open-campus access with student safety. JSU's protocol -- a partial lockdown followed by a Clery timely warning -- reflects a measured escalation approach. This incident occurred ten months before a December 2019 shooting near JSU that triggered another active-shooter lockdown, highlighting the ongoing threat environment facing the institution during this period.
Analysis

Key Findings

The multi-day campus sightings before the formal alert suggest JSU Police were monitoring Brookshire but did not issue a public warning until the threat became impossible to contain quietly
Issuing a Clery timely warning while also having just lifted a partial lockdown reflects a tension between transparency and not alarming the campus community
JSU's urban location in Jackson, Mississippi -- which has consistently ranked among the most violent cities per capita in the US -- creates a distinctive campus threat environment compared to suburban or rural HBCUs
The February 2019 and December 2019 JSU incidents together establish a pattern of proximity-violence spilling onto campus grounds in a single year
Outcome
Partial lockdown lifted before the crime alert was issued. No injuries reported on campus. Students warned not to approach Brookshire. Investigation ongoing at time of alert. Campus remained open.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    JSU students receive crime alert about armed and dangerous man seen on campus - WLBT
    wlbt.com
  2. News
    Jackson State issues crime alert for 'armed and dangerous' man - WDAM
    wdam.com
Tags
hbcujackson-statetimely-warningarmed-and-dangerouscrime-alertproximity-crimemississippiclery-actUnder Investigation
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion