Spring Break
Tragedy prompts campus concerns
In the wake of Virginia Tech shooting, where 33 are killed, officials here say campus is safe because of size
Ashley Evans
Issue date: 4/17/07 Section: News
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The shooting has left college students throughout the nation, and at Sacramento State, questioning how safe their campuses are and what they should do if a similar situation were to occur.
Sophomore kinesiology major Patrick Murphy had a number of questions about the incident.
"I don't understand how anybody could be so sick," Murphy said. "I mean, what could set somebody off like that? …And if it's so easy for a madman to get pissed, walk onto a campus and kill 30 some-odd people, how safe are we really?"
Freshman Ashley Williams, an art studio major, said she believes an incident like this could happen on any college campus.
"It's absolutely terrifying," Williams said. "I'm beginning to question how safe I am on a campus like Sac State, where everything is so spread out. I mean there could be a shooting in Foley Hall and the people in Brighton Hall or the Union would be totally oblivious to it."
Martha Harper, a freshman political science major at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., said over a phone interview the events that unfolded are horrifying.
"It's scary because situations like this make you realize how vulnerable you really are," Harper said.
According to the AP, the first set of shootings began at 7:15 a.m. when the gunman entered the West Ambler Johnston dorm and shot and killed two people. Two hours later the same gunman entered Norris Hall, a building on the other side of campus, where he shot and killed 31 people including himself.
Harper, like a number of people, questions how the chaos was able to make its way across campus, over a two hour period, without being stopped.
"Why weren't (police and security guards) able to prevent the second set (of shootings)?" she asked.
Erin Sheehan was one of only four people able to walk out of her 9:05 a.m. German class in room 207 Norris Hall at Virginia Tech, according to the Collegiate Times website, the university's student newspaper.
"It's a small class (of) about 25 people," Sheehan said. "I would say no more than two people…were absent. And of those of us that were in there today, only four of us walked out of that room….Two of us had been injured during the shooting."
University Police Lt. Dan Davis said Sac State's campus is not as open as most people think, adding that Virginia Tech's campus is approximately 2,600 acres, while Sac State is only 300 acres.
"That's roughly one-tenth of the size," Davis said. "I'm not trying to say that a similar incident couldn't occur at Sac State, I'm just saying that we have a more concentrated environment to work with, which gives us a better chance of controlling the situation in a quicker manner."
Davis said that while students need to be aware that an incident like this one could occur anywhere and at any time, they should also know that campus police are prepared and well equipped.
Davis said students can take various precautions to prevent an on-campus shooting and stay safe if one were to occur. He said students should report any instances of hostile or aggressive behavior beforehand, have the number for campus police preprogrammed into their cell phones and seek immediate cover in the case of an actual shooting.
"(Students) need to be aware of what's going on around them," Davis said.
Davis said that students should also know that University Police has ways of informing the campus of possible threats, a detailed evacuation plan for the campus and tactical plans, which tell them the best way to both maneuver through and gain control of any area on campus. He said, however, that he can't comment on the specifics of these plans because in doing so he could potentially jeopardize the effectiveness of the department and its defenses.
"As prepared as we are, our greatest defense is the students," Davis said. "There is over 28,000 ears and eyes out there every day. … Our job is to protect you. Help us do that by being aware of what is going on around you and by reporting any threatening or inappropriate behavior and any dangerous situations."
Two to six officers are on duty at any given time, and Davis said each is well trained to handle shooting or hostage crisis.
"Ever since Columbine happened, police officers have been trained to deal with situations (like on-campus threats and shootings)," Davis said. "We go through scenario and tactical training. We also work closely with other local agencies and the fire department."
Associate Vice President of Public Affairs Frank Whitlatch said Monday's incident would be classified as an unlikely occurrence at Sac State.
"We have the safest 300 acres in the city of Sacramento," Whitlatch said.
Harper said administrators and instructors at her university are hoping that students will be able to move on quickly "or will at least not be scared" to be on campus.
In a press release sent out by Sac State Campus Police Chief Ken Barnett in coordination with President Alexander Gonzalez stating that like most universities in California, "we maintain our own police department."
According to the press release campus police receive specialized training for responding quickly to shootings on campus, and they have taken part in computer-based simulations involving various scenarios.
Barnett went on to say that as part of the ongoing preparedness efforts, 500 campus personnel have received training on state and national emergency response protocols.
"It is very difficult for any campus to be completely prepare for all possible eventualities," Barnett said in a press release. "Especially a random incident such as the one that occurred at Virginia Tech."
Sac State's campus, like other publicly accessible institutions, is vulnerable to unpredictable acts, Barnett said.
According to the press release there are many resources available at the University Police website at www.csus.edu/police and at Risk Management Service's emergency preparedness website at www.rms.csus.edu/dcp.
In the event of an emergency on campus, Campus Police stresses that one should call 911 from any campus phone or call a campus police dispatcher at 278-6581.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Ashley Evans can be reached at news@statehornet.com
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