A freshman accused of shooting four fellow students at Northern Arizona University has been charged with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of felony aggravated assault. Steven Jones, 18, said "Yes" when a Coconino County judge asked him over a video feed Friday afternoon if he understood the charges. Bail was set at $2 million.Prosecutors said Jones was involved in a fight with other students around 1:20 a.m. Friday and ran to his car where he picked up a handgun. This is not a case of self-defense, the prosecution said. Colin Brough was killed and Nicholas Piring, Nicholas Prato and Kyle Zientek were wounded, the university said. University Police Chief Gregory T. Fowler said at a morning news conference that Jones was cooperating with investigators. Fowler said it appeared the victims had been shot multiple times.
The victims were all members of the Delta Chi fraternity, the organization said Friday. The suspected gunman was a pledge in another fraternity -- Sigma Chi, according to that organization's national office. "We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and our thoughts and prayers are with the friends and family of the victims, as well as the entire community in Flagstaff," Delta Chi said in a statement. The organization said it was seeking the university's help in providing counseling to its members.
Sigma Chi Executive Director Michael Church sent his condolences to the victims. "Our hearts and prayers are with the family and friends of the individual killed and those who were injured," he said. Church added that the incident was "in no way associated with any chapter event," but the chapter has been suspended and Jones removed from the pledge program. University President Rita Cheng said the school had experienced "a terrible tragedy." "This is not going to be a normal day at NAU," she told reporters. "Our hearts are heavy."
