Scare on Ferrum's Campus
There it was as a running banner across the TV screen around 8 am: Gunman on Ferrum College campus; students on lockdown! Soon after: Classes cancelled.
I hadn't planned on going to my afternoon Holocaust class on Tuesday as mid-terms were scheduled and those of us seniors who basically are auditing the class do not have to take exams nor do we turn in papers.
Driving in to Rocky Mount to bible study, my heart was in my throat. There are 22 students in my class...were any of them in danger? Was some nutcase running around shooting people? The news said a housekeeper in the Bassett dorms had encountered a young man with a revolver, who told her not to say anything. In total shock, she had dialed 911 as soon as she could, and Ferrum's response was immediate and complete when she also contacted campus security.
We prayed in our bible study for the safety of the students. One member couldn't be there; she lives in Ferrum and the roads were closed off. She also has a daughter in the elementary school across from Ferrum's campus. The elementary school was also on lockdown as a precaution. Outside the windows of our church, we could hear sirens blasting as Rocky Mount police, sheriff's officers, ambulances, even federal emergency vehicles, all headed towards Ferrum, just 11 miles from us.
Now, today, Wednesday, the campus is still jittery but the lockdown has ended. No one found the young man with his gun; a sketchy drawing has shown up on our TV news and, I'm sure, in today's Roanoke Times which I have not yet seen.
But I am so proud of Jennifer Braaten, Ferrum's president. She had everything in place, and the alert operated like clockwork. Students were immediately advised by e-mail alert to stay in their dorm rooms, that a person with a gun had been spotted on campus. Later, the students were directed to the gym and then to the dining hall, and they were kept informed up to the minute. Franklin County's sheriff stated that the surrounding law enforcement agencies had voluntarily called and offered their officers and units. It was an amazing response.
Parents of the students were also kept informed up to the minute. At the elementary school, the parents of the children were advised that the kids would come home by schoolbus rather than allow parents to pick them up, as it would be difficult to control cars coming to the school...there could be no opportunity for a stranger to target the children.
Hooray for Franklin County, and those law enforcement folks who responded so well. And I'm so grateful that the gunman, perhaps because he was observed, did not after all harm anyone.
I hadn't planned on going to my afternoon Holocaust class on Tuesday as mid-terms were scheduled and those of us seniors who basically are auditing the class do not have to take exams nor do we turn in papers.
Driving in to Rocky Mount to bible study, my heart was in my throat. There are 22 students in my class...were any of them in danger? Was some nutcase running around shooting people? The news said a housekeeper in the Bassett dorms had encountered a young man with a revolver, who told her not to say anything. In total shock, she had dialed 911 as soon as she could, and Ferrum's response was immediate and complete when she also contacted campus security.
We prayed in our bible study for the safety of the students. One member couldn't be there; she lives in Ferrum and the roads were closed off. She also has a daughter in the elementary school across from Ferrum's campus. The elementary school was also on lockdown as a precaution. Outside the windows of our church, we could hear sirens blasting as Rocky Mount police, sheriff's officers, ambulances, even federal emergency vehicles, all headed towards Ferrum, just 11 miles from us.
Now, today, Wednesday, the campus is still jittery but the lockdown has ended. No one found the young man with his gun; a sketchy drawing has shown up on our TV news and, I'm sure, in today's Roanoke Times which I have not yet seen.
But I am so proud of Jennifer Braaten, Ferrum's president. She had everything in place, and the alert operated like clockwork. Students were immediately advised by e-mail alert to stay in their dorm rooms, that a person with a gun had been spotted on campus. Later, the students were directed to the gym and then to the dining hall, and they were kept informed up to the minute. Franklin County's sheriff stated that the surrounding law enforcement agencies had voluntarily called and offered their officers and units. It was an amazing response.
Parents of the students were also kept informed up to the minute. At the elementary school, the parents of the children were advised that the kids would come home by schoolbus rather than allow parents to pick them up, as it would be difficult to control cars coming to the school...there could be no opportunity for a stranger to target the children.
Hooray for Franklin County, and those law enforcement folks who responded so well. And I'm so grateful that the gunman, perhaps because he was observed, did not after all harm anyone.
posted by Marion | 11:16 AM
4 Comments:
What a scare - I agree! The drawing was actually very good - not sketchy at all.
The suspect must not have stuck around as they searched the campus pretty thoroughly.
I think we would have all felt better if they had caught him, still we can be very thankful for so many other things!
That did hit too close to home, didn't it? This morning at Hollins, we reviewed all of our new safety measures, including a new gadget used to secure the classroom doors. I'm glad you picked that day to miss your class. I pray that they apprehend this nut-case soon.
What is this world coming to?
Colleen, they did have a more complete composite drawing in the newspapers. I believe he looks a bit Hispanic, which should help sort him out if he is a student.
I do know the law enforcement people are keeping some information out of the public eye, and that the man was much more threatening than originally mentioned. The housekeeper ran into the janitor's closet and shut herself inside out of fear.
I have to agree with Amy Tate that an unannounced trial run of Hollins' siren system would be too frightening; it would need to be announced.
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