SGA Vice President elect charged with having weapon on campus

By Nathan Walls
Editor

SGA Vice President-elect Anthony Ray Hunt was charged April 19 on Campus and State levels for having a weapon on campus after Campus Police found an unloaded 9 mm Beretta pistol in a case on the floorboard of Hunt’s car.

Campus Police have labeled the incident a misdemeanor and Hunt has a May 26 court date in Pembroke, where if charged with a felony he will have to resign his SGA position for next year, according to Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Diane Jones.

According to police Detective Ed Locklear, Campus Police received an anonymous phone call around 3:45 p.m., saying that Hunt had a weapon in his vehicle.

Locklear and Lt. McDuffie Cummings responded to the call and approached Hunt, who was sitting in his car in Lot 25, near the softball field.

Locklear said Hunt stepped out of the car when asked and was cooperative. Hunt showed the officers where the weapon was located and told them he bought the gun earlier that day and didn’t have time to take it to his home in Shannon, Locklear said. The pistol was registered and had an accompanying receipt that showed it was purchased that day. Hunt explained how he and his father have a gun collection, Locklear said.

Hunt met with Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Diane Jones and Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lisa Schaeffer, who is also the campus Judicial Affairs Officer, later in the week. Jones said she and Schaeffer thought Hunt had no malicious intent, but was given an official reprimand from Schaeffer.

Jones and Schaeffer must wait on the state’s ruling before making any final decision about Hunt’s SGA position, however.

Director of Student Activities and SGA advisor Abdul Ghaffar did not want to comment on the sitution.

Hunt said he thinks the state level charge will be dropped.

“I have the receipt for the gun, it was legal,” Hunt said. “I had just purchased it right before class and I didn’t have time to take it home. I had no bullets in my car. It will be resolved.”

Hunt’s political partner SGA President-elect Vanessa Jones said she hopes the issue is settled.

“I hope he doesn’t resign, because his goals will improve the school,” president-elect Jones said.

Hunt already has plans to improve the campus recycling program, president-elect Jones said.

President-elect Jones and Hunt were scheduled to be sworn in April 28.