University authorities ordered a campus lockdown Friday, Aug. 31 after a freshman began receiving a series of threatening phone calls from her estranged boyfriend.
According to Lieutenant David Webb, the student’s boyfriend left messages telling her he was going to shoot her. Believing that the estranged boyfriend intended to do bodily harm, the lieutenant located the student and ensured her safety.
Afterwards he proceeded to issue a campus lockdown in case the estranged boyfriend was on or enroute to campus.
“To assure the safety of students the gates near Phases I, II and III were closed to set up a one-way campus exit strategy,” Lieutenant Webb said. “The lockdown did not disrupt normal operation because authorities had a vivid description of the vehicle and suspect.”
“The lockdown lasted approximately two and a half hours, during which there was no sign of the suspect.” Had the suspect surfaced, Webb said, “the department would have arrested him and filed charges.” Sources report the freshman is safe and back on campus.
Police Chief Algray Pettus said “the campus went into lockdown just to take necessary precautions to address the threats so they would not progress.” Despite the quick response by the campus police department, they have yet to apprehend the suspect.
The complainant’s boyfriend does not attend Prairie View A&M University but visits the campus frequently. According to Pettus, “there have been no sightings of him on campus since the threatening phone calls occurred and the case is an on-going investigation.”
Victims of domestic violence, now referred to as family violence, endure a lot of trauma. Because this type of violence is prominent on college campuses, Prairie View A&M University has decided to make changes.
Pettus said, “The police department is combining forces with the Department of Languages and Communications, Business Affairs, Auxiliary Services, the president’s office and others to execute a program that will alert the campus community in the event of an emergency.”
For those interested in more information and learning more about the enhancement of PVAMU’s campus security and emergency communications systems, please make plans to attend a meeting with a public safety officer on Wednesdays at 9 a.m. on the second floor of the Willie Tempton Sr. Memorial Student Center.