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Gun scare sends campus into lockdown |
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Tuesday, 04 March 2008 |
 Student Matthew W. Haney watches as Sgt. Jim Wilson and Master Police Officer T.J. Proffit dust for fingerprints at the entrance of his Appalachian South apartment Monday. Photo by Derek DeSha
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STAFF REPORTS
An alleged gunman broke into a senior Appalachian State University student’s Appalachian South apartment early Monday afternoon, sending the Appalachian campus into its first lockdown in history, although no shots were fired.
The
renter of the apartment, senior English major Matthew W. Haney, said he
walked into his apartment at 3:15 p.m. to see a man holding a small gun.
“I
saw [the gunman was holding something] small, metallic and black,”
Haney said. “I think I startled him because he turned around and had a
gun out and he was wearing the mask.
“I just kind of turned and ran…and as soon as I got in my car he just came running out and went [the
other direction down the hill beside the apartments].”
Haney provided the suspect description released by University Police.
“He was wearing a ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ Pink Floyd t-shirt and wearing a dark coat, dark mask, blue
jeans.”
Vice Chancellor for Student Development Cindy A. Wallace said the Appalachian South apartment
complex’s close proximity to the Appalachian campus warranted the campus response.
“There’s no question that all of us in these positions on college campuses are beyond concerned about
what’s going on right now,” Wallace said. “The confirmation of a gun made us believe that we needed to
act the way we did and I hope people view that as a prudent way to respond.”
In the hours following the incident, information was distributed through mass e-mails and updates on
the Appalachian home page, www.appstate.edu.
The Appalachian campus was officially on lockdown at 5:24 p.m. Monday, at which time all buildings
were locked and students in classes were asked to stay where they were, and remained that way until
6:32 p.m.
Wallace said the decision to cancel the lockdown was made to allow students to get home.
“We felt like we had a brief window…where there was still some light on campus. That was the safest
environment for people to move to their cars and to go home,” Wallace said.
She said the entire campus, excluding residence halls, remained closed for the remainder of Monday
evening.
 The break-in took place at Appalachian South Apartments. Photo by Derek DeSha
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Wallace said the chancellor and members of the administration met with police during the incident and
both Boone Police and University Police met Monday night to further the investigation and evaluate the
events of the day.
Wallace is thankful for the two groups’ ability to work together.
“[For this] incident the group that was called was Boone Police. They instantly called [University
Police] - that’s protocol and they knew exactly what to do,” Wallace said. “The key ingredient to this
whole scenario and the way it all unraveled today was our mutual aide agreement between Boone
Police and [University Police] and the Sheriff’s office and that worked perfectly.”
Wallace said the police have continued to field calls from students with information on the incident.
Chancellor Kenneth E. Peacock was pleased with the action that was taken.
“I think [students] cooperated. No one panicked...Everyone seemed to take it in an orderly way and
cooperate…when they were asked to stay where they were,” Peacock said. “I think that the word got
out to campus quickly and we were able to inform people and…provide a protection for our campus
community in a fast and organized way.”
Several national and statewide news sources covered the situation, including CNN, Fox News, the
Winston Salem Journal, the Charlotte Observer, and the Asheville Citizen- Times.
Student Government Association President Forrest S. Gilliam felt the university response was
appropriate.
“I’d rather us be overly cautious than take something for granted… Now that [we’ve seen] what
happened, maybe it wasn’t necessary looking back but I think at the time it was the right decision,”
Gilliam said.
As of press time, Gilliam had not received much student response but said he noticed quietness on
campus and some sense of shock.
“I think it kind of reminds people that even if this was a pretty minor incident… things can happen
wherever you are,” Gilliam said. “We learned a little bit about what it’s like not to know what’s going on
around you.”
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