A Followup and Yet Another Reason Aggieland needs CHL

[seamusTX]

2. She has every right to go anywhere on campus any time of night or day, but why was she going from the Library Annex to her dorm at 4:00 in the morning?

When I was in college, 30 years ago, the library and computer center were open around the clock, and students were there all the time.

I agree that its unwise to be on the street at that time, but college students are not notably wise.

- Jim

[artx]

Was sent this by a friend last week - yet another reason schools are not 'safe' - though I never heard of this happening while I was there.

Texas A&M University - College Station

Timely Warning - Campus Crime Alert

Timely warnings to the campus community comply with the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act).


Aggravated Robbery

Parking Area 40

Texas A&M University-College Station

At approximately 9:58 p.m., October 6, 2007, University Police Communications received a 9-1-1 call from a Texas A&M student who reported being a victim of a robbery.

The student, who was not injured, told police she had parked her vehicle in lot 40 and proceeded to walk towards her residence hall. While walking in the parking lot, two African American males approached her from behind. One male pointed a handgun at the victim and demanded her purse. After taking the victim’s purse, the suspects fled the area. Upon reaching her residence hall room, the victim reported the incident.

Just prior to the reported robbery, University Police officers were dispatched to parking area 40 in response to a report of two African American males believed to be burglarizing vehicles. While in lot 40, a University Police Bicycle officer observed a vehicle backing from a parking space and recognized the driver’s clothing as matching the description of one of the burglary suspects. The officer shined his flashlight into the vehicle and ordered the driver to stop. The officer and his bicycle were struck by the vehicle as it continued to back from the parking space. The officer dismounted his bicycle as the vehicle continued backing over it. The vehicle, described as a newer model silver Cadillac with dealer license plates, fled the area. The officer was taken to the College Station Medical Center and later released. University and College Station Police officers pursued the suspect vehicle through the city of College Station, onto South Earl Rudder Freeway (SH 6), and into the city of Navasota. Other assisting agencies included the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Grimes County Sheriff’s Office, and the Navasota Police Department. While in Navasota, the suspects abandoned their vehicle and fled on foot. One suspect was apprehended.

It is believed that the aggravated robbery and the motor vehicle burglaries in parking area 40 are related.

Arrested: City of Houston resident - Isiah Delance Holden

Criminal charges are pending. The aggravated robbery and the motor vehicle burglaries are currently under investigation by the Texas A&M University Police Department.

Note:
You are receiving this message because you are an employee or
currently registered student at Texas A&M University, or a TAMUS
employee working in Brazos County. If you feel you have received
this message in error, please forward this email to
helpdesk@tamu.edu with an explanation as to the nature of the error.

[Crash]

Is this a real case you are reporting, or simply an example of the sort of thing that happens all too often on college campuses. The reason that I am asking is that there are two things that strike me as odd about the case:

b. There are certain practices that are unsafe and should be avoided--and walking anywhere by oneself at 4:00 in the morning is one of them.

Crash

Yes this is a real case, which gets sent to me because of federal law requiring it.

A person should never ever have to refrain from getting work done because of the hour of day. I'm often at school until 2-3AM studying, I'll never stay home because its dark out. I take bike rides through campus well after midnight often times just because I enjoy it, then again I'm armed when I do that. If it is unsafe then the school needs to do something about it, we have responsibilities to get work done. I know it isn't as important as my safety, but due to the minimal risk my teachers aren't going to accept that as a good reason.

I agree that waiting to report a crime like this is stupid, it puts others at risk.

Will938,

I agree that the young lady, or any student, has the right to go anywhere on campus, day or night. But what one has the right to do, and what is safe to do, are two different things.

A question: is it the legal responsbility of the school to ensure the safety of students on campus 24/7? Does the en loco parentis role of the school extend that far? I'm not being sarcastic, I really don't know. My son graduated from A&M in '96 and we discussed then that the Corps would escort ladies anywhere on campus, day or night. But that, I believe, was a voluntary thing done by the Corps.

Crash

[Will938]

A question: is it the legal responsbility of the school to ensure the safety of students on campus 24/7? Does the en loco parentis role of the school extend that far? I'm not being sarcastic, I really don't know. My son graduated from A&M in '96 and we discussed then that the Corps would escort ladies anywhere on campus, day or night. But that, I believe, was a voluntary thing done by the Corps.

Crash

The school doesn't have any responsibility, which is why they won't lose if it goes to court. This aggravates me, authority without responsibility.

The Corps began escorting ladies after a few of them had been raped. Now that I recall that, I doubt it will ever change here. I'll just continue sending them letters.

[3dfxMM]

When will these cowards (read school officials incharge of policy) understand that we need to be able to defend ourselves?

If you mean by letting CHL holders carry everywhere on campus that won't directly help most of the students. I would guess that the majority of the students at most universities are not yet 21 years of age.

[Will938]

When will these cowards (read school officials incharge of policy) understand that we need to be able to defend ourselves?

If you mean by letting CHL holders carry everywhere on campus that won't directly help most of the students. I would guess that the majority of the students at most universities are not yet 21 years of age.

Maybe at a community college, but at any university 17-20 year olds would only constitute 20-30% or so of the population, most will be 22-23 by the time they graduate giving them 2-3 years to be eligable. Then we're forgetting about the entire graduate department and faculty, all of which are 21+.

And the point is that we are responsible for our safety, not them. I shouldn't be prohibited from choosing how to defend myself. The state says I'm allowed to carry, the school shouldn't impose. The state said nothing about pepper spray, but last year you could be expelled for carrying it (not sure if its still a rule). So then if I took the initiative to get licensed then why shouldn't i be allowed to carry there? If I was too young to carry why shouldn't I be allowed to carry pepper spray? The point is to have as many options open to them as possible, they shouldn't be limited by how politically awkward the staff feels about them.

Oddly enough you can carry around 5.5" knives anywhere on campus.