Armed security officers will soon be starting their jobs on campus at St. Mary’s College of Maryland as part of a previously planned increase in security there, and it comes at a time when there is more attention on the potential for violence at Maryland schools due to a shooting at Morgan State University in Baltimore earlier this week.
At least two people opened fire during a dispute between two groups at the university’s homecoming events Tuesday night, police said, leaving five injured.
“We definitely are concerned about what’s going on on college campuses,” said Jerri Howland, vice president for student affairs at SMCM.
Armed officers will be on the St. Mary’s campus starting on Monday. Previously, the school had security guards who did not carry guns.
“It is important for us to take a proactive approach to make sure that we are providing the best possible safety for our campus community,” Howland said. “This is just one more layer for us to be able to help our campus community in case of an emergency.”
Howland said the campus is located “in a geographic area which is wide-open.”
“Unfortunately, it does take some time for law enforcement to respond,” she said.
In connection with the Morgan State University shooting, Baltimore police have asked for the public’s help identifying a group of people seen in the area where shots were fired.
Police released surveillance video late Wednesday that shows several people walking in a grassy area. They are seeking the identities of the persons of interest.
University President David Wilson announced that all other homecoming events and classes for the remainder of the week, including Saturday’s football game, have been canceled. He said it marked the first cancellation of such events in the school’s history.
“Most people think nothing like this can happen here,” Howland said. “Unfortunately, violence can erupt at anytime, anywhere.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
