Prospect gunfire startles students
By Adam FenwickElectronic News Editor
Around the Campus Editor
Some students at UNCP say they now have a reason to be concerned about personal safety following an eruption of gunfire Nov. 19 on Prospect Road adjacent to the north side of the UNCP campus.
The incident took place at 10:30 p.m., according to one student who witnessed the events and filed a report with campus police.
 Photo by Terri Rorke Campus Police received reports of gunfire Nov. 19 on Prospect Road, shown at a later date above, which runs north adjacent to campus. The police report said the incident involved two cars, a black Cadillac Escalade and a four-door red sedan. A witness said shots were fired. A police officer said students should be concerned. |
The student, walking to the campus ATM beside the University Center, noticed a black Cadillac Escalade with spinning silver rims parked facing north in the middle of Prospect Road, according to the police report.
Shortly thereafter, the student noticed a red four-door sedan traveling south on Prospect Road in the direction of the black car.
Fled towards First Street
The student told police it appeared that someone in the black vehicle opened fire in the direction of the red sedan, which fled in the direction of First Street. The black car continued north on Prospect Road.
The student also heard the sound of gunfire from the direction the Escalade had taken, toward the Village Apartments.
The same student told police that, later that night, a similar black vehicle may have been on campus after the incident.
Officer David Redman of UNCP Police and Public Safety, stationed at Village Apartments at the time of the incident, heard the gunshots and requested mutual aid from the Pembroke Police Department.
At first, he was unable to determine the origin of the gunfire.
The Robeson County Sheriff’s Department and the Pembroke Police Department attempted to locate suspects in the incident, but said they were unable to at the time.
Sounded like fireworks
One student, who was visiting Village Apartments at the time of the incident, described the gunfire-like noise as sounding like fireworks.
“It sounded like fireworks going off,” the student said. “It is a little scary knowing that you could just get shot going to the ATM.”
Lt. McDuffie Cummings of Police and Public Safety said students should be concerned due to the incident’s proximity to the campus.
“The students should be concerned because the campus community is their home,” he said.
“Incidents happening at home like this should make students more aware of suspicious vehicles and suspicious persons entering and exiting campus,” he said.
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The print edition of The Pine Needle is published 14 times a year during the fall and spring semesters. Updated: Friday, December 8, 2006 © The University of North Carolina at Pembroke |
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