Campus Safety Under Scrutiny After Florida State Shooting

On a sunny day in Tallahassee, Florida State University students were preparing for their last classes before graduation. The day took a dark turn when a gunman started shooting on campus. Students like Meghan Bannister and Sarah Walker had practiced active shooter drills since they were young. They knew exactly what to do when they heard the shots. They barricaded doors, hid under desks, and texted loved ones. The police responded quickly, and the suspect was taken into custody within four minutes. Two men were killed, and several others were injured. The university’s emergency alert system played a crucial role in keeping students informed and safe. The university’s response time was praised for preventing a worse tragedy. However, students had a problem. The emergency alert told them to lock their doors, but some classroom doors didn’t lock from the inside. Bannister and Walker were in a classroom on the second floor of the HCB building. They realized their doors didn’t lock, and panic set in. They feared that the shooter could easily enter their classroom. A university spokesperson later explained that the doors did lock from the outside during a lockdown. This meant that students could leave, but potential threats were kept out. The spokesperson did not clarify if all campus classrooms had the same locking system. Before the university could inspect the locks, Bannister and Walker started a petition. Nearly 30, 000 people signed it, calling for working locks on all classroom doors. Many students shared similar experiences, feeling unsafe because they thought their doors didn’t lock. They recalled watching faculty members try to lock doors or using their bodies to hold them closed. After learning that the HCB building classrooms did lock from the outside, Walker questioned why students were not informed about this. She suggested that all doors should be manually lockable from the inside for added safety. Colleges and universities face unique challenges in keeping campuses safe. They are open environments with a lot of freedom, making them soft targets for attacks. Experts say that locks are an important part of an active shooter response plan. However, relying on a single safety measure can lead to failure. The university adopted a “Run, Hide, Fight” protocol, which involves training students on what to do during an active shooter event. The quick dissemination of information through alert systems is vital for students to know where the biggest threat is coming from. Bannister and Walker commended the university’s response to the tragedy. They appreciated the psychological services and deadline extensions offered to students. They also praised their classmates for staying strong and calm during the ordeal. The experience left them feeling unsafe in confined rooms without protective measures. They vowed to never again feel that way and to stay in touch with their classmates for life. The university’s handling of the situation highlighted the need for better communication and safety measures on campus. The incident served as a reminder that even in open environments, steps can be taken to minimize the likelihood of high fatality events.