UMES Students React To Campus Murder - WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's Choice

PRINCESS ANNE, Md. - A week that started as the school's Homecoming celebration turned into a painful end for students and faculty at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. 

"It's Homecoming Week, Homecoming Weekend, people are just looking and trying to have some fun and you hear about this," said sophomore Alex Griffin.

Some describe it as shock and fear as the campus learns about the death of Edmond St. Clair.

"It makes you wonder, could it possibly happen to you?" said sophomore Anthony Holton. "Is it going to happen to one of your friends? It's a scary thing."

Investigators won't say what caused the dispute Saturday night, which lead to the stabbing on College Backbone Road. But officers admit they found the 21-year-old St. Clair lying on the road next to his girlfriend's car, with stab wounds to his upper torso.

"It's such a small campus," said sophomore Macala Stewart. "It's pretty close and you now have to wonder are these people going to hurt you."

The victim's friends didn't want to go on camera, but tell WMDT that St. Clair, a Severn, Md. native was a good person, someone who loved music and made music under his name "Trini Wes."

During a university press conference, president Dr. Juliette B. Bell told reporters they'll remember the junior Biology major as someone who had a lot of potential.

"It's going to be difficult and I'm sure there's going to be many sad days ahead for our students," said Dr. Bell.

President Dr. Bell released a letter to UMES parents explaining the campus murder.

Also, she say the university placed UMES flag at half-staff on Sunday to honor the victim. When asked when the last time a murder like this happened on campus, UMES Police Department Interim Chief Kenny Collins said "it's the first of its kind on campus in 35 years."

At this time, we are told that they don't have a vigil planned, but they'll let us know and we'll pass the details along to you when we have them.