Aftermath of UCC shooting sheds light on campus security

By: Brianna Bonham 
Freelancer

The total number of individuals harmed during the UCC shooting has officially been listed as 10 dead with seven others injured. The shooting occurred on Oct. 1, 2015 at 10:38 a.m.
The ages of civilians killed ranged from 18 to 67.

The 26 year-old gunman reportedly shot himself after exchanging gunfire with officers, according to Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin.

President Obama will be traveling to Roseburg on Friday, Oct. 9 for closed-door visits with the families of the victims.

In his last Thursday, Oct. 1, Obama took to addressing the fact that there have been 45 school shooting thus far in 2015.

“But as I said just a few months ago, and I said a few months before that, and I said each time we see one of these mass shootings, our thoughts and prayers are not enough,” said President Obama during his post-incident press conference.
“We are the only advanced country on Earth that sees these kinds of mass shootings every few months,” the President said.

After a mass shooting, there is a two week period where there is higher risk of another shooting, according to Hanlin.

Schools across the country are on high alert to watch for warning signs, and to be proactive about another violent situation occurring.

Hoping to improve campus safety, WOUAlert programs have undergone additional testing since the UCC incident.

WOUAlert is a program that takes a few short minutes to sign up for, and was been created to help make Western a safer place. Students and staff can sign up through WOUAlert and choose to receive alerts multiple ways, such as emails, calls, or text notifications.
“It’s a great tool, it helps get a message through in a timely manner,” said Mike Hanson, a Public Safety Officer at Western. He believes WOUAlert is an important tool for students to utilize because it alerts the community as to what is happening around campus.

“It will let students know when there is an emergency on campus, so those students who are off campus can remain off campus, and students who are on campus will know where to be to stay safe,” says Hanson.

“This has really opened my eyes as to how important safety can be with students and campus areas,” says Auston Ricks, a freshman criminal justice major. Campus safety is a top priority in student’s minds.

If there is any concern about campus safety, please contact Campus Public Safety at 503-838-8481 or call the local police.