AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Authorities say Xavier Deanthony Cooper is the suspect who shot a student at Paine College in Augusta on Monday afternoon.
Around 1 p.m., authorities said Cooper, 21, of Augusta, went into the administration building and had a confrontation with another man on the third floor. Cooper then shot JaJuan Lawayne Baker, 21, in the head, according to the Richmond County Sheriff's Office, and fled.
Officials said Tuesday that Baker was hospitalized in stable condition. He is expected to recovered.
This was not Cooper's first run-in with the law. He was charged two years ago in DeKalb County for criminal damage to property. Last year, he was charged with possession and use of drug-related objects.
The campus of Paine College and surrounding areas went on lockdown as police searched for the suspect. The lockdown was lifted around 3 p.m. after police took Cooper into custody.
Cooper was found in a dorm and taken into custody. Sheriff's officials said Cooper claimed to be a student at the college. He is being charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of possession of firearm or knife during crime and one charge of bringing a weapon onto school grounds.
The shooting comes one day after another shooting on campus. Paine College released this statement Sunday:
Paine College Police Department acknowledged that an incident took place Sunday afternoon in one of the male residence halls on campus. The incident involved non-Paine College students. Individuals discharged a firearm on campus which immediately took the campus in a lock down mode. Paine College Police and Richmond County law enforcement are investigating the incident.
The sheriff's office has not said if Sunday's shooting is related to Monday's incident.
Paine College Vice President Brandon Brown said that campus security is a top priority.
"It's unfortunate that this event took place," Brown said. "We will continue to work hard to prevent this from happening again."
Chief Deputy Patrick Clayton of the Richmond County Sheriff's Office said that extra security is now in place.
"We're still in the embryonic stages of the investigation, but I would tell students I believe they'll be safe to come to school tomorrow," said Clayton.
Classes on the college campus resumed Tuesday morning. School officials said in a Tuesday afternoon news conference that they were moving forward with commencement activities set for this coming weekend. The school went on to say they were adjusting academic schedules and permitting students to take final exams online if they choose to.
The next press briefing, officials is scheduled for Wednesday morning at 10 a.m.
