Nephew of Rep. Elijah Cummings Fatally Shot
Christopher S. Cummings, a 20-year-old nephew of Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Maryland), was fatally shot in what has been described as a random shooting at his off-campus apartment near Old Dominion University in Virginia. He was a criminal justice major at the university. Christopher’s roommate, Jake Carey, was critically injured during the shooting, which took place Friday morning.
“My family and I remain in shock over the news of the random shooting that took the life of my nephew, Christopher,” Cummings said in a statement released by his office Sunday night. “Christopher was an amazing young man who was loved and admired by so many people who had the honor of knowing him. An exceptional student with a 3.5 GPA, he had ambitious plans for his future after graduating from Old Dominion.”
John R. Broderick, the university’s president, wrote a letter to the school community that he posted on the university’s website Saturday.
“While we do not yet know all the details of yesterday morning's off-campus shooting, we do know the Old Dominion University community lost a bright and talented student and another student is recovering in the hospital,” he said. “We will also continue to urge city officials and landlords on additional safety measures for the off-campus neighborhood where this and other crimes occurred this semester.”
(Photo: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)