Incident on my college campus

Got this in my campus email over the weekend.

Subject: Serious Incident Report - East Wendover Campus

Please be aware that a male student on the East Wendover Campus, was a victim of an armed robbery, Thursday June 20, 2008, at approximately 8:00 PM. The student reports that the incident occurred in the Men's Restroom in the AEC Building. An investigation is in progress by the Campus Police.

The assailants have been described as three (3) African American males. Their descriptions follow:
Male 1 approximately 19 years old, bald head, carrying semi automatic weapon
Male 2 wore a baseball type cap with NY Yankee logo, dark shirt, knife, teenage?
Male 3 wore a hat, and a shirt with something brown written on it riding an orange
Moped teenage?

GTCC strives for a safe and healthful learning environment. Your help is necessary to support this effort.

Note: Instructors, please read the contents of this message to your students at the beginning of each class period, effective upon receipt through Monday, June 30.

This report is provided in accordance with the requirements of the Crime Awareness and Campus Security ACT of 1990. For further information, contact me at the Jamestown Campus, telephone extension 2425.

Jacqueline Pettiford
Dean, Student Support Services

I was not going to reply to it until I saw today's news regarding the shooting in Phoenix on a community college campus.

My response is as follows:

Sadly the incident talked about below is just one more in a long list of incidents that continue to happen at gun free zones. Here in NC, state law and school policy has ensured that we students will be unarmed and unable to fight back if confronted by attackers that care nothing for laws and policies.

The fact that it was illegal to carry a gun onto the campus obviously meant nothing to the people that were already intent on committing the much more serious crime of robbery. So that means that the only people following the laws are the ones that are not criminals and are not prone to committing crimes.

The fact of the matter is, persons who choose to legally carry guns as a means of defense are almost never involved in crimes. They tend to be the most law abiding citizens in society. Because of this, it makes no sense to have laws prohibiting them from possessing a means to defend themselves from those that are criminally minded and willing to hurt other people.

Virginia Tech, Columbine, The Utah mall, Northern Illinois University, and dozens of other places have all been scenes of rampages that left countless victims unarmed and defenseless. While there is no guarantee that an armed, law abiding gun owner could have prevented any of those incidents, at least those people might have had a fighting chance. Instead, state law and school policy ensures that all victims inside these places will be unarmed and completely defenseless. When faced with a situation like that, those poor souls are given only two options, run or hide.

As a father, my concern when I come to campus is my safety. I wish to make it home safely to my children. Sadly the State of North Carolina and the school feel that a policy banning guns on campus will somehow make me safer when nothing could be further from the truth. As a law abiding citizen I urge you and this institution to join me in petitioning the legislature of NC to change the laws so that people are not left to become victims any longer.

Lawfully and respectfully yours,

Chris

GTCC Student,
NRA Certified Instructor,
Law abiding gun owner,
Proud father
And responsible citizen.

I am now going to see what the response, if any may be.