This browser does not support the Video element.
GSU holds town hall addressing violence near campus
Georgia State University is holding a town hall with students to address safety concerns on campus after two students were injured in a shooting over the weekend. The university has said they're planning to step up patrol in that area
ATLANTA - Georgia State University leaders met with students Monday to address safety concerns on campus after two students were injured in a shooting early Sunday morning. GSU Police say the four bystanders, including two students, were shot when two men started shooting at each other around 5am Sunday morning.
"It’s a surreal thing to hear that four people got shot like a few feet from where you sleep," Trenton Ellis, GSU Junior, said.
One woman was taken to the hospital in critical condition, but officials say the two GSU students are expected to be OK.
Students met with GSU officials Monday at a listening session and town hall. They say they want more university controlled spaces to gather.
"They’re much more easily protected, much more easily surveyed than if just at, you know, twelve in the morning, all students have is just down here," Ellis explained.
GSU officials say following a shooting in the spring they improved their lighting, cameras, call boxes, and wayfinding in the area.
This browser does not support the Video element.
4 people shot near GSU
4 people were shot overnight near Georgia State University in downtown Atlanta
As part of a new comprehensive security plan, they will continue improvements of those safety measures.
"A lot of it has to do with branding the campus, again, so we know when we’re on and when we’re off. Trying to drive activity to the core of the campus, where we can have a more predictable experience," Jared Abramson, GSU Chief Operating Officer, explained.
Also, part of the security plan will be more controlled access to buildings. A Panther card will be required to access all campus buildings after 8 p.m. The university will also install activity monitoring devices on John Wesley Dobbs and Piedmont avenues.
They also stressed the importance of being alert while on campus, as well as utilizing resources available to students, such as a 24-hour escort service.
"A shared partnership would be for our students to really try to be mindful of, kind of, who is around them, where they’re located, and, you know, don’t walk alone. Make sure you walk in places that are kind of curated for our students to be," GSU President M. Brian Blake explained.
However, some students still want more to be done.
"A lot of their solutions were to redirect crowds from people who aren’t on campus," Ellis explained.
"They see that as more incidental, they don’t really see that students bring traffic," he added.
GSU also launched a new website (operations.gsu.edu) to see what safety measures the university has taken as well as provide a way for students to give further input.
GSU ‘increasing patrols’ after shooting over the weekend
A woman is fighting to stay alive after she was shot and wounded near the Georgia State University campus. She’s one of our people injured during that shooting over the weekend. Two of them were Georgia State students.
The shots erupted at John Wesley Dobbs and Piedmont. Jada Meyoha, a freshman, was worried when the news came out two students had been shot. "I was a little bit disturbed," Meyoha said.
Police say an altercation broke out around 5 a.m. on Sunday. Someone opened fire, hitting three women and one man. "These kids are just out minding their business. They’re innocent bystanders," said Georgia State University Police Chief Anthony Coleman.
Three of the victims are in stable condition. A woman is fighting to stay alive. The university says the two students are expected to recover.
This is at least the third shooting in this area in less than 12 months. Two people were injured when shots were fired following street racing in the area back in April and a GSU student was shot and killed at the RaceTrac in December of last year.
The university, on Monday, held a special town hall to address students’ concerns. Coleman says his department is beefing up security, including adding patrols, lights and emergency call boxes. "We have 12 of them coming in now. We have another 30 of them coming in. They should be in by the end of November. The main thing is police visibility."
Georgia State University President M. Brian Blake wrote an open letter to the Panther community Sunday reading:
"We were deeply saddened to learn early Sunday, Oct. 29 of a shooting near campus that impacted two Georgia State students. I communicated with the Mayor in addition to our campus leadership, and we are working closely with the Atlanta Police Department (APD) as they conduct their investigation. We are taking immediate action to ensure the safety of all our community by increasing patrols in the area. The safety of the Georgia State community is my top priority and we will continue to work with the APD to identify ways to make areas surrounding our campus more secure.
"Four people, two of them students, were shot at John Wesley Dobbs Avenue and Courtland Street around 5 a.m. after a nearby altercation occurred involving non-GSU individuals who exchanged gunfire. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who were injured and their families. We will continue to provide updates from the police as we receive additional information.
"Counseling services are available 24/7 by calling 404-413-1640 and Student Victim Assistance provides additional resources for students impacted by crime."