Campus Alert Archive
LTC Baton Rouge

Six Rounds in a Nursing Classroom: A Technical College With No Text Alert System

LAactive shooteremergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On February 8, 2008, nursing student Latina Williams, 23, opened fire with a .357 revolver in a second-floor classroom at Louisiana Technical College in Baton Rouge, killing two classmates before turning the gun on herself. About 20 students were in the classroom. The first 911 call came at 8:36 a.m. and police were inside the building within four minutes. The campus had no mass text alert system; instructors told students to stay in their classrooms.

Alerts
2
Response
4 min
Killed
2
Injured
0
Institution
Louisiana Technical College - Baton Rouge Campus
Technical College · LA
~1,200 students
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

2 messages 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 ALERTPA System
Approximate reconstruction212 chars
Attention all students and staff. There has been an incident on the second floor. All students are to remain in their classrooms. Do not leave your classroom until further notice. Law enforcement is on the scene.

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

LTC had no mass text or email alert system in February 2008; notification relied on instructors and PA announcements
The campus activated its emergency response plan within minutes of the shooting, but the plan was basic compared to post-Virginia Tech systems
Multiple students in the classroom called 911 individually, with the first call logged at 8:36 a.m.
ALL CLEARPA System
Approximate reconstruction217 chars
The campus is now closed. All students and staff are asked to leave the building in an orderly fashion. The campus will remain closed until further notice. Counselors will be available for anyone who needs assistance.

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

The campus was closed for five days following the shooting, reopening on February 13
ICare counselors were brought on-site immediately to provide support for students, faculty, staff, and family members
Context

Background

The Louisiana Technical College shooting on February 8, 2008 occurred just six days before the far larger Northern Illinois University shooting that dominated national headlines. The LTC incident drew attention to the vulnerability of open campuses at smaller technical and community colleges, which often lacked the emergency notification infrastructure that larger universities had begun implementing after Virginia Tech. LTC had no mass text messaging system, no campus-wide email blast capability, and no outdoor siren network. Notification depended entirely on instructors relaying information classroom to classroom and the public address system. The Chronicle of Higher Education noted that the shooting 'underscored the vulnerability of open campuses' where students come and go throughout the day and buildings have no controlled entry points. Latina Williams, the shooter, had been living in her car and had sold or given away many of her belongings in the days before the shooting. Police found no connection between Williams and her two victims, and no motive was ever established.
Analysis

Key Findings

A technical college with no text or email alert system relied entirely on PA announcements and instructor communication
Police response was swift at four minutes from first 911 call, but campus-wide notification was delayed
The incident highlighted the gap between large research universities investing in post-Virginia Tech alert technology and smaller institutions with no such infrastructure
Occurred six days before the NIU shooting, which received far more national attention and policy scrutiny
Outcome
Latina Williams was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the scene. Two students, Karsheika Graves (21) and Taneshia Butler (26), were killed. No motive was ever established. The campus remained closed until February 13.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Police: Female student kills 2 others, self at Louisiana college - CNN
    cnn.com
  2. News
    3 Dead in LTC Shooting - WAFB Baton Rouge
    wafb.com
  3. Source
    Louisiana Shootings Underscore Vulnerability of Open Campuses - Chronicle of Higher Education
    chronicle.com
  4. Source
    3 Dead in Shooting at Louisiana Technical College in Baton Rouge - Chronicle of Higher Education
    chronicle.com
Tags
active-shootertechnical-collegeno-text-alertfemale-shooterpre-text-alert-eranursing-classroommurder-suicide2008
Added April 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion