Ferris State University crim­i­nal jus­tice grad­u­ate Clarence Tariq Hammond III was shot and killed in a botched rob­bery near his home in Madison Heights.

The shoot­ing occurred Jan. 14 at approx­i­mately 12:30 a.m. in the park­ing lot of his apart­ment com­plex. Graduating in 2001, 33-year-old Hammond worked as a state prison cor­rec­tions officer.

Hammond, who died of a gun­shot wound to the head, was report­edly in uni­form dur­ing the time of the shooting.

Matt Chaney, direc­tor of the Office of Multicultural Student Services, said Hammond was a stu­dent who strived to become a bet­ter per­son. A men­tor to Hammond, Chaney said a num­ber of FSU alumni are express­ing con­do­lences to Hammond’s family.

“It’s been an out­pour­ing of love. It’s touched a lot of peo­ple. He was an out­stand­ing young man,” Chaney said.

While at FSU, Hammond was an employee at the Office of Multicultural Student Services and a mem­ber of Black Greek Council. He also helped found the Iota Phi Theta Colony at Ferris State University.

The sus­pect remains at large. The case is still under inves­ti­ga­tion. Hammond is sur­vived by two young sons, ages four and five.

“He was cer­tainly a stu­dent leader on cam­pus. I’m deeply touched by his loss,” Chaney said.