BATON ROUGE — Governor Jeff Landry is directing Louisiana State Police to work with LSU Police, Baton Rouge Police, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office to create an enhanced security plan ahead of LSU’s upcoming football game against Texas A&M.
The move comes after two major incidents of violence and disruption on LSU’s campus in recent weeks, including a double shooting and riot Saturday night, and gunfire during the LSU/Florida game earlier this season.
“I have ordered the Louisiana State Police to work with LSU PD, BRPD, and EBRSO to come up with an enhanced security plan for the upcoming LSU/Texas A&M game,” Landry said Monday on X. “We will continue assessing the security to ensure all future games are safe. The level of violence and disruption will not be tolerated.”
MORE: Riot and double shooting under investigation underway at LSU
MORE: Fight leads to shots fired near LSU’s Law Center
Campus safety message
LSU issued a campus safety alert Monday following the governor’s announcement, reaffirming that the safety and well-being of the LSU community remain the university’s top priority.
“In light of recent events, we write to assure you that we maintain significant resources to ensure public safety,” LSU Interim President Matt Lee and LSU Board of Supervisors Chair Scott Ballard said in a joint statement. “Our law enforcement presence is fully coordinated. If individuals commit crime on our campus, they will be arrested, and we will work diligently to ensure conviction.”
The release noted that approximately 600 trained police officers are on duty during home football games.
This weekend, the No. 10 Tigers travel to Nashville to take on No. 17 Vanderbilt before returning home to host Texas A&M on October 25.
LSU’s full statement below
Riot and double shooting under investigation
The latest game-day incident happened Saturday around 8:30 p.m. when two people were shot near the LSU campus. The incident happened during LSU’s football game against South Carolina in Tiger Stadium.
One victim was found at Highland Rd. and Dalrymple Dr., and another just a block away on East Chimes St. and Highland Rd. Both were taken to a hospital and are listed in stable condition.
Earlier that night, officers responded to what sources described as a riot near State and Highland streets, where a crowd was reportedly doing donuts, jumping on vehicles, and blocking the roadway. An officer was injured during the disturbance and suffered minor injuries.
It’s still unclear if the riot and double shooting are connected. Multiple agencies remained on campus into the night assisting with investigations and crowd control.
Also earlier Saturday, around 6 p.m., a person suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound on campus and was taken to a hospital in stable condition. Details surrounding that incident have not been released.
Previous campus violence
Just weeks earlier, during LSU’s game against Florida State, a fight led to shots fired near LSU’s Law Center. That shooting happened around Highland Rd. between Dalrymple and Veterans drives, across from the parade grounds.
Baton Rouge Police said that incident began with a fight and escalated when individuals started shooting at each other. No one was struck by gunfire, but several people were detained for questioning.
Dear LSU Family,
The safety and well-being of the LSU community is our number-one priority. At all times, we seek to ensure students, faculty, staff, fans, and visitors have a safe and positive experience when on our campus.
In light of recent events, we write to assure you that we maintain significant resources to ensure public safety. On game day, we typically have 600 trained on-duty police officers representing LSU Police, local law enforcement, and state agencies to safeguard our community. We take full advantage of advanced technologies, including license plate readers, camera networks, and upgraded lighting, which allows for real-time, campus-wide monitoring and rapid response. Our law enforcement presence is fully coordinated. If individuals commit crime on our campus, they will be arrested, and we will work diligently to ensure conviction.
In the coming days, we will continue to review our resources and protocols to maximize the safety of the daily campus experience. As a community, we must also look out for one another. If you see something that doesn’t look right, say something. By standing together and staying alert, we make LSU safer for everyone.
As we enhance our public safety protocols, we will communicate these changes to our constituents, ensuring our full commitment to protect everyone who comes to our campus.
Sincerely,
Scott Ballard, Chair of the LSU Board of Supervisors & LSU Interim President Matt Lee
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