College says racial bias played role in gun scare

The president of the university has also put the head of campus security on administrative leave.

HAMILTON, N.Y.>> More details continue to come forth in the aftermath of the Colgate University ‘active shooter’ event.

On Tuesday, President Brian Casey said that in response to Monday’s events, he has asked Campus Safety Director Bill Ferguson, who led university security efforts, to take an administrative leave from his position. The leave is effective “immediately” as the university conducts a review of what exactly transpired.

In a news release posted on the university’s website, Casey said he received an update from campus safety regarding the events that transpired, sharing up-to-date information.

“At a few minutes before 8 p.m. last night a Colgate student called Colgate Campus Safety reporting that they had seen a black male entering the Coop, carrying what appeared to be a gun,” Casey wrote. “A fewminutes later, Campus Safety sent out the first of two campus announcements, the first identifying an “Emergency Situation” and the second indicating, in a profound error, that there was an active shooter on the campus. (The remaining campus notices last night were sent out by our Communications Office and an emergency response team.)”

Casey further explained, “After the initial report, Campus Safety contacted local lawenforcement units, which proceeded to engage in steps associated with reports of a person with a gun in a public setting. Only after it was determined that the person in the Coop was a Colgate student—who had a glue gun needed for an art project—was Campus Safety able to end the campus lockdown.”

To better graspwhat took place onMonday, Casey confirmed that Colgate was in contact with the student who had the glue gun and will be with the studentwho initially reported the ‘armed suspect.’

But was this a case of racial bias or hyper-vigilance with campus shootings becoming an all-too-familiar headline?

Casey is leaning toward the former.

“It is important that we understand the role that implicit racial bias had in the initial reporting of and responses to the events of last night. I want tomake surewe speak with those who made and received the initial report to understand the role this played,” he said. “Importantly, I am also in contact with those who were making the essential administrative decisions last night. More egregiously, perhaps, was the effect profiling had on the response of safety officers and otherUniversity offices to these events. In addition, communication and enforcement steps were taken that, I believe, confused and harmed this campus and our students.”

The Colgate president has also called for a thorough review of Monday’s incident, from the initial reports of the ‘shooter’ to the University’s reaction to the proceedings. He assured the Colgate campus he would have the report within 10 days and plans to share the findings with the campus, before acknowledging the toll of such an event on the campus community.

“This has been a difficult, painful several hours on this campus. My obligation is, first, to demand a full accounting of what happened,” Casey said. “My next obligation is to take steps to ensure the safety of all Colgate students, faculty and staff. My final obligation— my desire—is to improve Colgate. If there is anything that can and should come from these events it must be that concrete steps are taken to makeColgate a better place, and a university worthy of both regard and respect.”

When emergency alerts were first issue to members of the Colgate University community Monday night close to 8 p.m., the university’s Twitter account issued an alert warning students, staff and faculty of a

Severalmore tweets ensued following the initial alerts, all reiterating the samemessage: lawenforcement continued to investigate thematter and there had not been any reports of shots fired.

“dangerous situation in the Coop.” Colgate community members were warned to remain indoors if on campus or to stay away fromthe campus if not already there in a follow up to the initial alert.

“There is an armed person at the Coop,” the second tweet included.

Several more tweets ensued following the initial alerts, all reiterating the same message: law enforcement continued to investigate the matter and there had not been any reports of shots fired.

Finally, at 12:13 a.m., Colgate issued an all clear, explaining that after thorough investigation, the would-be weapon was in fact a glue gun a student intended to use for an art project.