Fayetteville State University beefing up patrols after campus shooting

Michael Lozano Image
Wednesday, September 18, 2019

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Fayetteville State University officials plan to beef up campus police patrol and re-evaluate safety procedures in light of Monday night's shooting that left one student seriously injured.



The announcement was made in a letter sent to students, parents and alumni on Tuesday morning and reiterated in a Tuesday evening webinar on Facebook.



RELATED: Raleigh man charged in shooting on Fayetteville State campus



FSU student Gabrielle Daniel was in her dorm room when the lockdown was put in place around 8:30 p.m.



"I was confused. I didn't know it was someone on campus. I thought it was somebody off campus," Daniel said.



Daniel spent the next hour sheltering in place and hoping for the best for everyone on campus.



"I was just hoping they got the person. I was just hoping everyone was safe. I hope everybody heard the alarm," Daniel said.



Starting Tuesday night, students will see more frequent campus police patrols and the addition of another officer.



Fayetteville police will also have officers frequent the university grounds every so often.



In the letter, Chancellor Peggy Valentine insisted the campus is one of the safest in the country, but that's not stopping them from taking precautions.



Along with patrols, gates surrounding campus will close an hour earlier and drivers will see the addition of a guard at the main entrance on Murchison.



"It doesn't just happen on campus. Like, it's everywhere, no matter where you go. So, I mean, you're always constantly thinking about how to be safe," Daniel said.



The university is also reminding students and faculty dealing with anxiety or trauma from Monday night's incident to reach out to their licensed counselors on campus.



FSU officials plan to meet with the Campus Safety Committee on Wednesday morning to review safety procedures.

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