It’s been called an isolated incident. It’s been called a prank. However, the facts of the case remain the same.On Tuesday (Sept. 16) night, two armed men robbed a group of students in Tubman Hall. According to various reports, the men took wallets, jewelry, and credit cards. After the robbery, the men fled the scene, according to reports.
Ralph Wilson, GSU media spokesman, told The Gramblinite that a statement would be e-mailed to the paper Wednesday morning. However, as of 4 p.m. Friday (Sept. 19), no statement or press release has been received.
Wilson did, however, inform The Gramblinite that the police does have a description of the suspects, and they are looking for them. To date, no suspects have been arrested or found.
According to the Ruston Daily Leader, Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office Spokesman Stephen Williams said that the LPSO was called in to assist GSUPD around 9 p.m.
“We set up perimeter around the building, and once we got everyone on the scene, we closed the area there,” Williams told the Leader. “We did a room-by-room search of the dormitory, clearing the building, but have not located any suspects.”
From there, the story varies depending on who is talked to. The News-Star reported that the armed men used a shotgun and a handgun, according to a GSU release. However, one of The Gramblinite photographers was told by an officer on the scene that the guns used was a shotgun and an AK-47.
Another staff member was told that it was a shotgun and a rifle. According to witnesses, the guns used were a shotgun and an AK-47.
The incident left a scar on some students.
“I was kind of scared,” said Kasani Brown, a freshman. “I saw the police with guns. I don’t feel safe.”
The University of Louisiana System President Randy Moffett released a statement, praising the law enforcement and university officials, according to The News-Star.
“We feel this is an unfortunate but isolated incident and appreciate the efforts of law enforcement,” Moffet said. “We believe the GSU administration has taken appropriate steps to deal with the situation, and we continue to be in communication to make sure no additional action needs to be taken.”
One problem most students had was with the FirstCall system. Many students, who did not want to be named, felt that the FirstCall system should have been activated when the robbers fled.
“It’s effin ridiculous!” said one student. “Robbers are running around with guns, and they don’t tell us. But, when the water goes out, we are quick to be notified.”
The university used the FirstCall system Thursday (Sept. 18) to inform students that a water main broke on campus, shutting the university down.
“The First Call system was not activated because it (the armed robbery) was an isolated event,” Wilson told the The News-Star.