Oldham County teacher killed in shooting at Catholic University in Washington, DC

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- An Oldham County teacher died after he was shot on a college campus in Washington, D.C. Wednesday morning.

According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting happened around 8 a.m. at The Catholic University of America.

Officers were called to Alumni Lane on the reported shooting, where they found a man who had been shot. He was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries.

Police believe the victim and the suspected shooter, who has not yet been identified or arrested, knew each other and that "whatever transpired, transpired between two individuals that knew each other."

FOX 5 in Washington, D.C., said the victim was identified as Maxwell Emerson, 25, of Crestwood, Kentucky. A spokesperson for Oldham County Schools confirmed Emerson taught social studies at Oldham County High School, where he was also the assistant wrestling coach. He became a full-time teacher there in June 2021, having previously worked as a substitute teacher.

The district released a statement on Thursday morning:

This is a devastating loss for Oldham County High School and the entire OCS community. The Emerson family has deep roots in our school system, so this tragedy touches many of our students and staff. Max was a young teacher, but he made it his goal to form lasting relationships with his students in order to foster a life-long love of learning. He had a passion for creating exciting, creative, and rigorous lessons to keep students engaged. Max was also a wrestling coach and devoted much time to supporting and coaching our students. He was loved by students and respected by his peers. Grief counselors will be available at the school to help any students or staff who need help processing this loss.

While working at Oldham County High School, Emerson was selected for the Henrion Multicultural Fund for Teachers, a grant that sends high school teachers abroad during the summer break for an educational experience. The goal is to have teachers bring their experiences and cultural knowledge back to their classrooms to enrich their students' knowledge of other cultures. Emerson was set to travel to Vietnam to study its culture and history to better understand the country while teaching about the Vietnam War.

The investigation into Wednesday morning's shooting remains ongoing.

In a statement, Catholic University President Peter Kilpatrick said two men had gotten into an "altercation" that ended in a shooting in front of a campus building.

"While we thank God no campus community members were hurt in this incident, we pray for the individual who senselessly lost his life," Kilpatrick's statement read. "Every human life is made in the image and likeness of God, and we pray for the end of such violence and to help build up a culture that treasures all life."

The campus was planning a prayer service for Thursday morning at the site of the shooting.