A string of armed robberies within the first 12 days of the fall semester has marred the campus of Southern University and put students on high alert.
According to the Southern University Police Department, on August 22nd at 2:10 a.m. a resident of Bradford Hall was robbed at gunpoint. A second armed robbery took place on August 24 at 4:45 a.m. on the west side of Grandison Hall.
Two additional incidents occurred in broad daylight outside of the F.G. Clark Activity Center on August 27 at 3:22 p.m. and September 2 at 5:30 p.m. Both victims were also robbed at gunpoint.
“We are doing everything in our power to catch this person or these people,” said SUPD Chief Dale Flowers.
SUPD has not released a composite sketch of the suspect. However, a surveillance tape has been sent to the local media.
Students and faculty members alike are expressing their concerns about the increase in campus crime.
“We have faculty members who come in as early as 6 in the morning and leave as late as 10 at night. The police department has to do a better job before someone gets killed,” said Sudhir Trivedi, computer science professor and president of the Faculty Senate.
“It does not make me feel safer. People are still going to find ways to get in,” said Walter Kornegay, a junior biology major from Little Rock, Ark. “How are you going to stop people from getting on campus when it could possibly be the people who live on campus?”
To control the traffic of outside vehicles driving on campus, SUPD has set up a checkpoint at the beginning of Harding Blvd and has blocked off entrance to the campus from Swan Street between the hours of 10 p.m. to 5 p.m.
“If vehicles aren’t labeled with proper parking decals, officers at the checkpoint will record the driver’s license number, make and model of the vehicle, and plate numbers.
SU has a total of 16 security cameras and six call boxes on campus. However, only three call boxes are in proper working condition.
“Work orders have been made to repair the call boxes located on the east side of the stadium, the pavilion, and behind Totty Hall,” Flowers said.
To report campus crime, students can call the SUPD Crimestoppers line at 771-3784.
