Campus shooting death

[Ukraine Train]

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=61857&ran=146524

By MATTHEW ROY, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 4, 2003

NORFOLK — A Virginia Beach man is dead after he was repeatedly shot outside the student center at Norfolk State University shortly after noon on Monday. The shooting happened in front of multiple witnesses, shocking students who later wondered about the safety of their campus.

Marcus McGee, 19, was taken to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital immediately and was rushed into surgery, but hours later, he was pronounced dead.

The gunman opened fire just outside the Mills E. Godwin Jr. Student Center, a hub of activity for students and staff next to faculty and student dining facilities. He then climbed into a car and drove off, police said.

Police are seeking Antonio D. Robinson, 26, of Norfolk, who faces charges of murder. Robinson may be driving a white 1965 Chevrolet Impala with Virginia antique plates 1775AW, police said.

The incident appears to have had nothing to do with the school, said university spokeswoman Sharon R. Hoggard. She said neither Robinson nor the victim were students.


Hundreds of students milled around the area on a picture-perfect afternoon as city and university police investigated the crime.

Police placed yellow crime-scene tape around a grassy area and part of a parking lot marked by 16 yellow evidence markers.

Some students said at first that they didn’t realize that the popping sound they heard was gunfire.

Students aided the stricken man as best they could while waiting for rescue workers to arrive, Hoggard said.

The victim was conscious and talking when police arrived, said police spokesman Chris Amos. Some sort of confrontation erupted in a parking lot by the student center, sparking the shooting, Amos said.

Dozens of students held an impromptu prayer meeting for the victim, said George Lewis, a senior, who called the shooting “messed up.’’

“We come here to learn, not to get shot,’’ he said.

Some students said that the brazen nature of the crime was unnerving.

“If you can get shot in the middle of the campus when it’s busiest outside, how safe are you going to feel at night when there’s the fewest people around?†asked Jolie Hodelin, a junior, sitting on the steps of the student center.

University officials ought to reassure students, staff and parents that the campus is in fact a safe place with fairly tight security and its own police department.

Security officials walk beats, and police officers cruise the campus, Hoggard said. The university also has campus escorts to accompany those who don’t want to walk alone.

Hoggard called the incident “completely different from what we’ve experienced before.’’

“What happened today is ridiculous,†said senior Eric Smith. “I don’t even feel safe on campus anymore.’’

He said the campus police force should be larger. That department has 35 officers, according to its October 2002 annual report. Anyone with information on Robinson’s whereabouts is asked to call police at 1-888-LOCK-U-UP.


Lester Davis contributed to this report.

Reach Matthew Roy at 446-2540 or at matthew.roy@piloton line.com

_____
Good thing campus police is there keeping everyone safe.

 

[BluesBear]

University officials ought to reassure students, staff and parents that the campus is in fact a safe place with fairly tight security and its own police department.

Boy what a relief. I am sure his family is happy he didn't die someplace dangerous.

“What happened today is ridiculous,†said senior Eric Smith. “I don’t even feel safe on campus anymore.’’

Oh now, how can that be?
The "University Officials" say it's safe. And they know.
They know because they have a police department to keep you safe. And because they have outlawed guns on campus.
So you see Eric Smith, you must be safe there, because you have the Police to protect you from unarmed people.

What could there possibly be to feel unsafe about?

 

[Ironbarr]

News reported Robinson turned himself in. Unfortunately the lady's house was wrecked... oops!

-Andy

http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=61913&ran=13805

Norfolk State shooting suspect surrenders
By PHILIP WALZER AND MATTHEW ROY, The Virginian-Pilot
© November 5, 2003

NORFOLK — The suspect in a brazen daytime shooting at Norfolk State University surrendered to police Tuesday as the school announced steps to tighten security.

The suspect, Antonio D. Robinson, turned himself in around 8 p.m. Tuesday. A warrant had been issued charging him with the murder of Marcus McGee, 19, of Virginia Beach. A gunman repeatedly shot McGee in front of numerous witnesses in a parking area outside the Mills E. Godwin Jr. Student Center shortly after noon Monday, then got into a car and drove away.

On Tuesday, NSU began placing security guards around-the-clock at all entry points for vehicles, President Marie V. McDemmond said. Next week, the university will start requiring staff and faculty members to wear ID badges, and it will seek state funding for a $5 million wall encircling the school.

“Most universities have a brick wall that goes around the campus,†McDemmond said at a student forum on security at the student center, where the shooting took place. “We only have a hedge. People can come through a hedge a lot more easily than they can climb over a medium-sized brick wall.â€

University officials say neither McGee nor Robinson was connected with the school.

Late Tuesday, Robinson was being questioned by police and was expected to be transferred to the Norfolk City Jail.

Tuesday morning, police got an anonymous Crime Line tip that Robinson was in a house on West 36th Street, near Llewellyn Avenue. Police knocked on a door around 8:45 a.m. and heard what sounded like a female voice asking who was there, said police spokesman Chris Amos. After they responded “police,†she didn’t answer, Amos said.

Officers drew back and summoned aid. Police stopped traffic and warned people to stand back or stay in their homes. The Special Operations Team, wearing body armor and military equipment, took positions around the house.

Police fired several rounds of tear gas through windows into the house around 12:20 p.m. and entered 20 minutes later. They found no one inside. Someone could have slipped away while police were securing the area, Amos said.

The homeowner later said that she didn’t know Robinson and that she had been at work when she got a call that police were surrounding her house.

Robinson was considered armed and dangerous, police said. University officials believe that McGee and Robinson drove onto campus Monday through an unmanned entrance on Corprew Avenue, near Brown Hall. At least one other gate was not supervised Monday, McDemmond said.

Four “gates†will be open for cars, and all will now be staffed 24 hours a day, she said. About five others will be closed, but security officers will monitor those areas for intruders.

“I want to assure our parents that we’re doing everything possible to ensure the safety of their young people,†McDemmond said during a news conference.

Two hours earlier, she and other NSU administrators spoke to nearly 100 students, both reassuring them and prodding them to take responsibility for keeping the campus safe.

“You have to be careful walking around,†said Larry Curtis, vice president for student affairs. “If you notice suspicious people or suspicious activity, report them to the police. It’s your safety.â€

Their entreaties drew a mixed response from the students. Some challenged the administration to do more, while others voiced sympathy and thanks.

After McDemmond noted that the university had spent $400,000 on improved lighting three years ago, some complained that there were still dark patches on campus at night.

Another student described the security officer posted in her dorm as “pointless,†sleeping or watching TV.

McDemmond responded: “It’s easy to criticize, but you’ve got to let us know what’s going on.â€

But Candi Mundon, a senior from Portsmouth, stood up to exhort her fellow students to take charge: “You’ve got to use discretion in what you do and where you go. There’s safety in numbers.â€

Afterward, another senior, Renee Edwards of Fredericksburg, said: “A lot of students were very upset†about the shooting. “But everybody came back to school. We’re going to take our campus back.â€

McDemmond stressed that Norfolk State had already put in place more safety precautions than other campuses in Hampton Roads.

Many other schools, including Old Dominion, do not have checkpoints for cars. Last year, ODU considered changing that, said Bill Quinn, the interim police chief. But “we decided we could do the same thing without having to restrict people by increased patrolling.â€

“With something like that,†he said of the NSU shooting, “I don’t think there is anything you can do†to prevent it.

Virginia Wesleyan College has only one entrance, off Wesleyan Drive, said Gail B. Kent, a college spokeswoman. It features a guardhouse that, for the past three years, has been manned 24 hours a day, Kent said.

Howard K. Clery III, executive director of Security on Campus, a watchdog group in Pennsylvania, said NSU should consider a range of options. In Connecticut, for instance, the University of Bridgeport issues each student a “personal alarm,†which may be triggered instantly.

He also advocated the use of electronic “key cards†to get into residence halls. McDemmond said most dorms at Norfolk State now use them, though a few have been hampered by computer problems.

Andrella Smith, a sophomore from Washington, said the front door of her dorm had been propped open at night since school started because the security cards did not work. Tuesday, she said, they were finally fixed.

Smith ticked off a list of other recent safety complaints: The night security guard sleeping on the job. The lights outside her dorm burnt out for three weeks. A 30-minute wait to be escorted at night by campus police.

“I’m frustrated,†she said. “It had to take someone to be shot and killed for someone to act on something.â€

Reach Philip Walzer at 222-5105 or at [email protected]; reach Matthew Roy at 446-2540 or at [email protected]

 

[BluesBear]

After McDemmond noted that the university had spent $400,000 on improved lighting three years ago, some complained that there were still dark patches on campus at night.

The suspect in a brazen daytime shooting at Norfolk State University

“Most universities have a brick wall that goes around the campus,†McDemmond said

Gee then what were those unwalled and unhedged place I attended?

University officials say neither McGee nor Robinson was connected with the school.

“I want to assure our parents that we’re doing everything possible to ensure the safety of their young people,†McDemmond said during a news conference.

Smart move Sparky, only allowing non students to get killed is very reassuring.

In Connecticut, for instance, the University of Bridgeport issues each student a “personal alarm,†which may be triggered instantly.

Hmmm a J-frame .38 or .357 makes a superior "personal alarm" it's much louder and can be triggered instantly, FIVE TIMES!

 

[sm]

First I'm sorry for the victim, victims's family and friends.

That said, no gun laws period. This not allowing persons to defend themselves hits a nerve with me. Walls, lights, cameras,...etc., does nothing to stop a BG. Actually If I were a BG I'd go to places that banned CCW, because , well like shooting fish in a barrel. I could rob, rape, murder assault, the "prey" are real easy pickin's.

No restrictions on campus, no restrictions period...BGs wouldn't like an even playing field.

 

[J.J.]

With their own Police Dept.

That cracks me up...

The university I attend has its own police... all they do is write parking tickets and hassle you.....they can't even stop the bicycle thefts that are rampant on campus... over 100 taken no one caught..

All those things are offered at my campus... and my girlfriend was still mugged at knife point... behind the campus police station...


It’s sad that these things happen but when we can't do anything to protect ourselves what do you expect. Does it really matter if he attended or not?

 

[Grey54956]

When I was in school about 7 years ago, there was no wall around the universtiy. None at all.

The campus police were a joke. Only after some crazy shot someone in a dormitory, where they had to call the real cops and SWAT Team did they even begin to talk about arming the campus police. I love how the previously unarmed campus cops get to carry, but the students are still denied the right.

 

[BerettaNut92]

*sigh*

Damn, I'm glad I'm out of school.

 

[TallPine]

University officials ought to reassure students, staff and parents that the campus is in fact a safe place with fairly tight security and its own police department.

A nice thing to remember while you are bleeding, in pain, and the lights are going out for the last time ...

 

[larry_minn]

I worked Campus Securty yrs ago. We were unarmed and just got radios that actually worked. No walls just always out and about. Wonder what criminal activity the victim was in with shooter? (likely)
I can recall only two gun incidents on campus. One a person took a shot at a guard. Guard confronts him and he pulls out gun and tells guard to run. (which of course he does) Guy fires a few rds from less then 20'. We all figure it was cap/blanks. Other time was real gun and I took it for a week then gave it back. Guy was shooting it on campus at 2am in Center for the Arts into improvised backstop. Could have messed up his life but why? There were few places to legally shoot up there. Heck I went out to country on back road for <20 min target practice more then once. Figured it would take longer then that for Deputies to show up if anyone complained. Actually was very rural area and I found some desolute areas with good backstops.

 

[TheEgg]

On Tuesday, NSU began placing security guards around-the-clock at all entry points for vehicles, President Marie V. McDemmond said. Next week, the university will start requiring staff and faculty members to wear ID badges, and it will seek state funding for a $5 million wall encircling the school.

"Welcome to Norfolk State Pris --- um, er, University".

[Rant on]

Yes, everything to be SAFE! Walls, guards everywhere, ID badges, cameras, background checks, no guns, etc. etc.
Even prison's are not safe -- do you want to live in a worse place than prison, just so you can feel "Safe?" Who ever told these morons that life is "safe"? Oh yeah, the same one who told these morons that life is "fair".
The one guarantee we have in this life is that none of us are going to get out of this alive! While I AM alive I will not live like a prisoner, or a sheep, or beg for "more please" from the .gov. Our society is sick sick sick -- how can these idiots not see that no matter how much freedom they give up, all they get is chains in return, not safety! If I were a student at this so-called University, I would be protesting -- NO WALLS -- WE DEMAND TO DEFEND OURSELVES!!!! And these are the future leaders of our Country? Excuse me while I decide whether to weep, or hurl.

[Rant off]

Whew, ok I feel better now. We return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[outfieldjack]

University officials say neither McGee nor Robinson was connected with the school.

I wodner what they were doing on campus then? Looks like neither one belonged there. I never had walls around my University, no shootings though.

Oh well....

 

[BluesBear]

Maybe this was just a carefully concocted plot to get the "State" to cough up the money for WALLS around the Institution, I mean University.


How do we know anyone really died? Maybe he is just in the Witness Protection Program?


After they get the walls erected what nefarious plan will "they" hatch to get the much needed IVY to cover them?


Just some of those things that make you go Hmmmmmmmm.