A graduation ceremony for nursing students at Howard University ended in chaos and violence after angry family members were denied entry into the auditorium due to capacity limits.
In shocking video footage, loved ones of students in the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences can be seen pounding on doors and chanting “Let us in!” in a desperate attempt to make it inside the building.
The situation quickly escalated as security tried to control the overwhelming crowd. Fueled by the disappointment and frustration of missing their loved one’s big moment, family members began to bang on the doors and push past security in an effort to get inside. The chaotic scene was heightened when a glass door was shattered during the chaos.
The disturbance was reportedly sparked by the cancellation of the ceremony mid-way through the keynote address. Dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences, Dr. Gina S. Brown, cited the fire department as the reason for shutting down the event. She also stated that it was due to the “size of the room” and the potential for unruly behavior from “relatives who do not know how to act.”
However, this claim was later denied by the DC Fire and EMS department, who stated that they did not shut down the event. They were called to the scene to respond to a medical emergency, but the patient refused treatment and they left.
The incident left both students and their families deeply disappointed and upset. Many had traveled and spent significant amounts of money to attend this milestone event, only to have it abruptly canceled. One nursing graduate, Kiana Hamilton, expressed her confusion and shock at how quickly things got out of hand.
Adding to the disappointment was the fact that some of the graduates were not able to walk during their high school graduation due to the pandemic. The opportunity to walk at their college graduation was taken away from them as well. It was a heartbreaking moment for the Class of 2020, and they will never be able to get that moment back.
To add insult to injury, it was reported that the disturbance was caused by someone who was removed from the building and then returned to smash the glass door. One student was even injured in the chaos.
Howard University goes into complete chaos, cancels graduation due to overcapacity pic.twitter.com/VAypm3uHd9
— HOT SPOT (@HotSpotHotSpot) May 13, 2024
The university did make efforts to make it up to the affected graduates by allowing them to walk in the main commencement ceremony on Saturday and distributing individual awards on Friday. However, the damage and disappointment caused by this chaotic event cannot be undone.
This graduation ceremony at Howard University serves as a reminder of the need for individuals to control their emotions and act responsibly, especially during important events. It is a shame that such a significant moment for these nursing graduates was tainted by the reckless behavior of a few.
Howard University Nursing Graduation ceremony abruptly shut down after auditorium reached capacity and family’s were banging on the doors to get in.
“I didn’t get to walk. I graduated magna cum laude and I didn’t even get to walk. I’m the class of 2020. I didn’t get to walk for… pic.twitter.com/FRI7L4y7N3
— KK Berd 🇺🇸 (@keny_berd) May 12, 2024
