|
University and emergency officials say the University community is prepared to handle a incident similar to Monday’s Virginia Tech shooting in which a gunman killed 32 people and himself. At least two shootings occurred on or near University property in the 1970s and ’80s, but none have occurred in recent history. Eugene police say an emergency response would be based on individual circumstances. Although the Department of Public Safety is understaffed, officials said the campus is safe and they hope to fill positions soon. Frances Dyke, vice president for finance and administration, said members of the administration were thinking about Virginia Tech staff, faculty and students Monday. “My next thought was, are we prepared?” she said. “We’re as well-prepared as I think we can be, but you never know ’till you have a situation.” In a similar situation, Dyke said the University would notify students through a mass voicemail and e-mail system and would post notices on the University’s Web site. The notices would update students and tell them not to come to campus. She added the University would also notify local radio and television stations. Dyke said a building manager is stationed in each campus building. “Part of their responsibility would be to notify people in their building,” Dyke said. She said buildings would possibly be locked, but she emphasized protocol depends on the circumstances. She added doors to residence halls are always locked. Eugene Police Department Capt. Steve Swenson said police would contain the shooter and possibly evacuate people from campus. He added evacuating all of campus may not be necessary. “A threat at the very east end of campus may not be a threat at the west end if that end can be contained,” he said. Swenson added evacuating about 20,000 people is a “daunting challenge,” especially in a state of fear and panic. Swenson said EPD would immediately dispatch officers to campus and possibly SWAT. “You have to base a response on what your resources are, what your known or unknown threat is, and go from there,” Swenson said. “There’s no cookie cutter approach.” Swenson said EPD officers would work with DPS officers and building managers. He said EPD officers are familiar with campus from previous calls, but not as familiar as those who work on campus. “What you typically do is find the person that is most familiar with the building or area,” he said. Dyke said DPS is understaffed, but she maintained that campus is safe. Brian Smith, assistant vice president for administration, said by next Wednesday, DPS will employ 14 full-time patrol officers. He added the administration recently closed applications for another officer position. On average, two to three DPS officers are on patrol at any given time, Smith said. He added new DPS Director Richard Turkiewicz is compiling a report that will include the optimal number of officers on campus. EPD and Dyke said they hope to learn from the Virginia Tech shooting. “We try to learn what happens in other places,” Swenson said. “These are times that test courage, skills.” On Nov. 12, 1984, University student Michael Feher, then 19, shot and killed former University and Olympic sprinter Chris Brathwaite from atop Autzen Stadium. Brathwaite was jogging on a nearby path. Shrapnel also injured a University wrestler. After a four-hour standoff between Eugene police and Feher, the sniper killed himself and was found in the south bleachers near the top of the grandstands with two rifles. On April 21, 1970, a University student was shot in the eye in the EMU basement men’s restroom. Contact the crime, health and safety reporter at [email protected] |
The Facts– Unidentified gunman kills 32, then himself |
‘A tragedy of monumental proportions’ What if it happened here?
April 16, 2007
More to Discover
