An Oklahoma Christian University student was expelled yesterday after a handgun and semi-automatic rifle were found in their on-campus residence, Dean of Students Neil Arter announced during chapel this morning.
“I don’t think I’ve ever removed a student from campus at 12:30 a.m., but this was immediate—there are no ifs, ands or buts about it,” Arter said.
Oklahoma Christian’s student handbook prohibits students from possessing guns of any kind on their person, in their vehicle or inside their living space. University officials will “utilize on and off-campus law enforcement agencies as necessary” upon finding weapons on campus, according to the handbook.
Arter said this discovery would not have been possible if students did not speak up and take action.
“There’s not a friendship that’s worth protecting if a student is putting themselves or others in a bad situation,” Arter said.
Arter closed the announcement by ensuring safety would remain a top priority of campus police and university administrators.
“It ticks me off a little bit when people try to jeopardize the safety of this campus,” Arter said.
The discovery comes as schools, businesses and workplaces across the nation are searching for ways to protect themselves against mass shooters and gun violence. According to Gun Violence Archive, 337 people have died from mass shootings so far in 2019, up from 269 throughout all of 2014.
“At this time, staff have no reason to believe that the student was planning to use the weapons on-campus,” Arter said in an email sent to parents of students earlier today.
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