Bethany Rentz, Copy Editor
Caleb Joiner, Opinions Editor
In light of the recent shooting at Florida State University-Tallahassee (FSU) that left two people dead and six injured, several members of the ABAC community are concerned that, with the close proximity to the school, ABAC could be subjected to a similar horror in the future.
As of July 1, 2017, ABAC is a “Weapons Carry Campus.” Under House Bill (HB) 280 and Senate Bill (SB) 319, according to the University System of Georgia’s (USG) guidance, “anyone who qualifies as a lawful weapon carrier may carry a handgun—in a concealed manner only—anywhere on Georgia’s public college and university campuses, except in certain areas that are specifically listed in the law. If an area of campus is not mentioned in one of those exceptions, lawful weapon carriers may carry guns there.”
The guidance continues, “It is the responsibility of each weapons carrier to know whether a specific area of campus is prohibited. Georgia law does not give colleges and universities in Georgia discretion to prohibit handguns on their campuses or to add any additional exceptions to the ability to carry handguns beyond those already contained in the law.”
SB 319 also specifies that a lawful weapons carrier is someone who is “licensed or eligible for a license,” as well as a person who “is not otherwise prohibited by law from possessing a weapon or long gun” and is “licensed to carry a weapon in any other state.”
For ABAC, a person on campus who meets these qualifications can carry a weapon as long as it is concealed and within facilities that such carry is permitted. Those conceal-carrying on campus also need to ensure that they are not carrying while in a class with a high school student in the dual-enrollment program.
The USG guidance says that those who decide to conceal-carry can contact the school’s registrar office to find out if their classes include dual-enrolled students. They can also inquire about specific facilities and locations on campus that prohibit concealed carry.
ABAC’s Public Relations (PR) team said, “[ABAC has] not experienced an accidental discharge of a firearm on campus to date.” There was, though, a fatal shooting on ABAC’s campus in 1994 behind Donaldson Dining Hall. Kevin Humphries, an ABAC staff member at the time, was later acquitted after admitting to shooting and killing Lee Strickland.
ABAC’s PR team says that the school is equipped in the event of an active shooter.
On February 3-4, the department hosted the Civilian Response to Active Shooter event (CRASE), in which around 93 ABAC students, faculty, and staff participated. The training “[helps] identify if it is a true shooter event, [examines] the history of active shooter events, and [discusses] the possible responses to various shooter situations,” according to ABAC PR.
They continued, “Aside from the CRASE training, ABAC Police Department officers participate in scenario-based judgmental exercises to determine the proper actions in crisis situations, along with their regular firearms training with pistols and patrol rifles.”
To help those on ABAC’s campus respond properly to an active shooter, the ABAC Police Department has also placed “Active Shooter” informational posters around campus.
The poster explains that an active shooter is “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area, typically through the use of firearms.”
For coping during an active shooter situation, the poster says to “be aware of your environment and any possible dangers; take note of the two nearest exists in any facility you visit; if you are in an office, stay there and secure the door; if you are in a hallway, get to a room and secure the door.”
Under response steps, the poster reads that you should first evacuate, then hide out, and finally take action. Evacuating is listed as “[having] an escape route and plan,” “[leaving] your belongings behind,” and “[keeping] your hands visible. When you hide out, it should be “in an area out of the shooter’s view,” and you should “block entry to your hiding place and lock the doors” before “[silencing] your cell phone.” To take action, you should call 911 “before family and friends” and “communicate via text message if possible.”
There are also specific steps to take once law enforcement arrives, including remaining calm, following instructions, emptying your hands, avoiding quick movements or holding on to officers as well as “pointing, screaming, or yelling” or distracting officers.
Once it’s safe to do so, ABAC’s Police Department says to then call 911. The poster also lists their phone number, (229) 391-5060.
Not listed on the poster is the LiveSafe app, which anyone on campus can use to quickly submit a report—anonymously or not—that goes directly and immediately to the ABAC Police Department.
Some students, faculty, and staff may be unaware of the LiveSafe app; some may be focused on contacting loved ones; some may have poor internet or cell service; some may have a dead battery; some may have to leave their phones behind. These issues may prevent someone from submitting a LiveSafe report during an active shooter situation.
Faced with these different scenarios, ABAC’s PR team said, “When there is a specific safety concern, students are advised to leave the area as soon as possible and get to a safe location. Then, students can call 911 as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Some campus community members have expressed concern over different aspects of campus facilities regarding their protective abilities. The doors in Bowen Hall, for example, only lock from the outside, with the exception of the Honors Lounge, the Faculty Suite, and rooms 100, 208, 209, and 212. Each door that does not lock from the inside also has a window, and the doors to the Faculty Suite and the Honors Lounge also have large, unobstructed windows.
King Hall also has doors with large glass windows that could be easily broken.
In response to these specific concerns, ABAC’s PR team said, “The ABAC Police Department has the ability to lock down every electronically controlled door on campus. All the college’s facilities meet all state building codes.”
Students, faculty, and staff should report any behavior on campus that may be in violation of ABAC’s or the USG’s campus carry guidelines. The ABAC Police Department can be reached by email at police@abac.edu, by phone at (229) 391-5060, through the LiveSafe app, or in person at Evans Hall.