Campus Alert Archive
SSU

A Football Player Shot Dead in the Student Union, and the Killer Evaded Arrest for Nearly Three Years

GAshootingemergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On the evening of August 27, 2015, Christopher Starks, a 22-year-old junior and football player at Savannah State University, was shot and killed during an altercation in the Student Union. The campus was placed on lockdown until approximately midnight. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation took over the case, but the suspect, Justin Stephens, was not arrested until April 2018.

Alerts
2
Response
—
Killed
1
Injured
0
Institution
Savannah State University
Hbcu · GA
~4,700 studentsSSU Alerts (Everbridge)
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 ALERTSMS
Approximate reconstruction174 chars
SSU ALERT: Campus lockdown in effect. Shooting reported at Student Union. All students shelter in place immediately. Avoid the Student Union area. More information to follow.

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

The shooting occurred during an altercation at the Student Union on the evening of August 27, 2015
The campus was placed on full lockdown as police searched for the shooter who fled the scene
ALL CLEARSMS
Approximate reconstruction222 chars
SSU ALERT: The campus lockdown has been lifted. The shooting appears to be an isolated incident. Classes will be delayed until 10 AM Friday. Counseling services available. A prayer vigil will be held at Unity Plot at noon.

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

The lockdown was lifted around midnight EDT, approximately three hours after the shooting
The university delayed Friday classes until 10:00 AM EDT and organized a prayer vigil at Unity Plot at noon on August 28, 2015
Context

Background

Savannah State University is the oldest public HBCU in Georgia, founded in 1890. On the evening of August 27, 2015, Christopher Starks was shot during an altercation at the Student Union building. Starks, a junior from the Atlanta area and a football player, was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation assumed the investigation with assistance from campus police. The campus lockdown was lifted around midnight, and the university delayed Friday classes until 10:00 AM EDT. For nearly three years, the case went unsolved until Justin Stephens was indicted for felony murder in April 2018. Stephens eventually accepted a plea deal. The incident underscored the challenges HBCUs face in campus security, particularly regarding interpersonal violence at student gathering spaces.
Analysis

Key Findings

A student was fatally shot during an altercation at the Student Union, prompting a campus-wide lockdown
The investigation took nearly three years before an arrest was made, highlighting challenges in campus shooting investigations
The university implemented a delayed class start the following day and provided grief counseling resources
The incident occurred at a student gathering space, a recurring pattern in HBCU campus violence incidents
Outcome
Christopher Starks, 22, died at a local hospital from gunshot wounds. The campus lockdown was lifted around midnight. Justin Stephens was indicted for felony murder in April 2018, nearly three years after the shooting. He eventually accepted a plea deal.
Provenance

Sources

  1. News
    Savannah State University student dies in campus shooting - CNN
    cnn.com
  2. Official
    GBI Investigates Shooting Death of Savannah State University Student - Georgia Bureau of Investigation
    gbi.georgia.gov
  3. News
    Student Dead in Shooting at Savannah State University - ABC News
    abcnews.go.com
  4. News
    Plea deal struck in 2015 murder of Savannah State student - WSAV
    wsav.com
  5. Student Paper
    Student killed in shooting at Savannah State - Statesboro Herald
    statesboroherald.com
Tags
shootinghbcugeorgiastudent-deathstudent-unioninterpersonal-violencedelayed-arrest
Added May 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion