Victims of weekend shootings are former CPS students
Two people died after two separate shootings in Columbia over the weekend.
Officers found 18-year-old Nadria Wright and 28-year-old Sam Baldwin IV with life-threatening gunshot wounds Friday night. Wright later died in the hospital.
E’quan Spain, 19, was driven to the hospital in a private vehicle after another shooting around 2 a.m. and was pronounced dead.
Both Spain and Wright were former Columbia Public Schools students.
According to CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark, Wright graduated last year. Spain was last enrolled as a student at CPS in 2018. Spain was last enrolled at Douglass High School.
Wright was a freshman at Columbia College. Columbia College President Dr. Scott Dalrymple sent a statement to faculty, staff and students after Wright’s death:
I’m deeply sorry to share the news that we have lost a member of our campus community. Nadria Wright, a freshman student, was killed tragically in an incident off-campus late Friday night. We extend our sincerest condolences to Nadria’s family and friends in this time of grief and mourning. The loss of Nadria will have a lasting impact on the lives of those who knew her, including students, faculty and staff members.
Our Counselors from Wellness, Health and Counseling Services will be available throughout the day Monday in Dorsey Chapel, and will be visiting each of Nadria’s classes throughout the week. If you know of anyone who wishes to speak to a counselor after Monday, or is need of additional support, please encourage them to visit the Student Affairs Office on the 2nd floor of the Atkins Holman Student Commons or call (573) 875-7423. Information about memorial services for Nadria will be shared once we know them.
We pride ourselves on having a safe and supportive campus community at Columbia College, but as this tragedy shows, no one is safe from the violence that now plagues our society. You’ll hear more details on the news, but from everything I have heard, Nadria was an innocent person in the wrong place at the wrong time when a shooting occurred. It takes my breath away and makes me angry. This was not how Nadria’s story deserved to end.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Nadria’s family and friends during this very difficult time.
In sadness,
Scott
It is unclear which hospital Baldwin was taken to and what his current status is.
