By DAISY ESCATEL/ Staff Writer
On April 13, 2023, Tyler Junior College and other Texas higher education institutions received threats of a potential active shooter. In response, the TJC Police, Tyler PD and other law enforcement agencies mandated evacuations and lockdowns in threatened buildings.
While the University of Texas did not receive any threats, Chief of Police Mike Medders sent out a campus-wide statement:
The most recent mass shooting on an American campus was at Michigan State University. Here, the shooter critically wounded five and killed three students, instilling fear on campuses nationwide. Videos showed many students lacked the proper training for responding to an active shooter.
With the recent threats made to East Texas colleges, students should be made aware of training and protocols if there is a shooter on UT Tyler’s campuses.
Marie Salazar, a student at UT Tyler said her first instinct is to evacuate if there is an active shooter on the other side of campus.
“Why would you stay in the area or vicinity where you know there is danger?” Salazar said.
However, Standerfer said, “I would never recommend that you get in your car. I’m not sure if you’ve ever tried getting out of campus some days but everyone is trying to leave at once you will bottleneck quickly.”
Instead, Standerfer advocates for the Run, Hide, Fight method and to communicate with peers as means to keep as many people as possible safe.
If you see or hear anything suspicious activity on campus, please call (903) 566-7300 and if you need immediate assistance call 911.
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