The University of Memphis canceled classes today after a fatal shooting on the campus last night. This morning, the university’s Web site carried only this message: “Classes Cancelled for Monday, October 1, 2007 – Main Campus Only.” But a local television station reported that the victim of the shooting was a starting player on the university’s football team. The player was said to have climbed into his car after being shot and drove away, only to crash into a tree. Another local television station, however, reported that he had been shot only after he was in his car, according to the Associated Press. The gunman was still at large.

The incident recalls one 10 days ago at Delaware State University, in which a student shot and wounded two other students. With campuses on edge since the Virginia Tech massacre last spring, Memphis’s response to the shooting — just like Delaware State’s handling of its recent attack — is likely to draw much scrutiny. —Andrew Mytelka