A 21-year-old man was arrested and charged with eight counts of murder March 17, 2021, after he allegedly shot and killed eight people in two different Atlanta massage parlors, according to the Associated Press.
Many of the victims were of Asian descent, authorities said.
Ball State President Geoffrey Mearns sent out a campus-wide email March 19 saying the bells of Shafer Tower would toll on Monday for the victims of the Atlanta shootings.
"The circumstances of these heinous, senseless crimes suggest that the gunman may have been motivated by racial, ethnic, and misogynistic hatred," Mearns said in the email. "So, I fully appreciate why some members of our University community are particularly upset and afraid. Their anxiety is real and profound."
Mearns said members of the Asian Student Union suggested the moment of remembrance at Shafer Tower.
I am proud that, once again, our students demonstrate courage and compassion in the wake of tragedy," he said. "Our students continue to serve as partners and leaders in our ongoing struggle to eradicate hate and injustice on our campus and in our country."