Morehouse students reportedly don’t feel safe after a rash of violent incidents around the historic campus so on Monday they met with police officials to discuss safety concerns, WSBTV reports.
—Investigation into fatal police shooting of Stephon Clark in grandparents’ backyard completed—
“Students don’t feel secure around the neighborhood,” one student said during a meeting at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church near campus.
Police chiefs from Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University assembled to listen to students and community members respond to the nearly half a dozen crimes that have been aimed at students in just the past month—including car jacking at gunpoint.
Earlier this month, Morehouse student Geoffrey Willis suffered gunshot wounds to the chest and legs after Willis confronted a man who tried to steal his car at a Shell gas station near campus.
Also, recently a group of Morehouse students were robbed inside their residence hall and the suspects aimed a gun at two students who let the gunman in. The robbers fled and have not been captured, according to Morehouse police.
“We are listening to everything that they’re telling us. We understand their concerns, and we’re always here to help,” said Deputy Chief Todd Coyt with the Atlanta Police Department.
But one student doesn’t believe police are making the most of communicating with concerned students.
“There is a huge gap between communication with law enforcement and between colleges and communities, and we need to figure out more innovative ways to bridge those gaps,” a student told WSB-TV.