Fifi O’Reilly
Reporter
Front of The W’s police department office
Photo by Fifi O’Reilly
On Feb. 20, an incident that raised alarms regarding campus safety occurred.
An individual reportedly fired six rounds into an apartment, not too far from campus - at the intersection of 4th Avenue and 10th Street South. Columbus police officers and Mississippi University for Women's Police Department reported to the scene to find out that the suspect had fled on foot from where the shooting happened.
The CPD, the investigating agency, according to Vibrock, declared that the incident "stemmed from a domestic issue from the individuals involved."
As of press time, police have not caught the suspected individual.
However, Vibrock specified that the individual had been named and identified.
Even though emergency situations such as this one are not common around campus, there are some tips that Vibrock would like students know. The first one is that students should stay aware of their surroundings. Vibrock said that the usage of mobile devices, such as phones, can be especially distracting and create vulnerability in a person who may not be as aware of their surroundings compared to someone who is not on their phone.
Another tip he would like students to know about is if you see suspicious activity, report it. Even if you think it could be nothing, he said it would be better to check it out and the situation not require police assistance, than for an emergency to occur and the police not be informed from the first moment.
W alerts are the best way to stay updated on crime or weather-related events on campus. Students can sign up to receive these alert through text message or email at https://www.muw.edu/walert/. Pla of action in case of an emergency situation can be found at https:// www.muw.edu/police/preparedness/.
For students living on campus, be sure to know the dorm hall's emergency procedures and talk your resident advisor if you have ar concerns or questions.
To report a concern to the campus police, the best way to get in touch is through the main phone line at 662-241-7777. If students have any non-emergency questions, they can reach out through th campus police email at muwpolice@muw.edu.