SALISBURY, N.C. — Livingstone College in Salisbury is addressing campus safety following the shooting that rocked the school during a homecoming event last weekend.
In a special event Monday, President Dr. Anthony Davis said safety is their top priority and they are committed to improving the living, learning, and working conditions here on campus. They are bringing on a team of experts to help.
“We understand that learning is compromised in environments that are unsafe,” Davis said.
Late on Oct. 15, Salisbury police responded to the shooting on campus. Days later, they announced the arrested of 21-year-old Talib Latrell Kelly, who was wounded during the incident. He is facing several charges including attempted first-degree murder. Police are still looking for a second person of interest who was involved.
Meanwhile, school officials are working to improve their practices to better protect their students and staff.
“Six days, 23 hours, that is the space of time when Livingstone College executed homecoming safely and without incident,” Davis said.
It’s a shooting Davis said has forced them to examine their public safety practices. The institution is now working with leaders in public safety to assess the college’s policies.
“We’re working to bring in the best and most promising and emerging practices to this campus," Ronelle Higgins, the associate vice president for public safety and community engagement at Yale University, said. "Dr. Davis was very clear that he wants to make sure that the security on this campus is tight."
As part of their assessment, officials are looking at their campus resources.
“It’s not done overnight but there are comprehension evaluations with nighttime assessments, lighting surveys, and a number of things that go into campus safety and crime prevention by environmental design that we will review,” David Perry, a campus safety consultant expert, explained at the panel session Monday.
When asked if Livingston is considering closing its campus to the public for events, the president responded:
“If Livingstone closes its doors to the community where we have executed our mission for 143 years, what does that say? It’s not very collaborative to close the doors because of one unfortunate incident,” Davis said. “That is why the experts are here helping us be better and we will be better. I think closing our doors to the public would be irresponsible because for so many having access to Livingstone is their only access to a college campus.”
The school is also creating an open dialogue in a student forum.
“The meeting lets me know that they at least want to hear what we think about safety. Do we feel safe? This is actually where we live,” Taylor Grant, a student at the school, explained.
The forums are an opportunity for students to share their concerns and express what they would like to see on campus.
“I would like to see more security patrolling the gate and security actually identifying pedestrians who come through the gate,” Grant said.
Students said they appreciate being part of the discussion.
“I actually appreciate how Dr. Davis is taking precautions; making sure that we implement our campus safety,” said one student.
“I think it’s a step up so nothing like this happens again,” another explained.
Once the assessment is done, the consultants will share their recommendations and an action plan so the school can better protect its students, staff and community.
Contact Jesse Pierre at jpierrepet@wcnc.com or follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.