Student Deaths Shake Up College Campuses - Statistical Data Included

Black Issues in Higher Education, Feb 15, 2001 by Linda Meggett Brown

Despite recent murders, campus violence is down nationwide

ORANGEBURG, S.C.

A celebration to honor the memory of the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on his birthday, Jan. 15, turned tragic at Benedict College in Columbia, S.C., when a freshman student was gunned down on campus.

Philip Lee Jr., 20, of Newark, N.J., was shot in the back of the head, reportedly at close range, as he walked a young lady to her dorm room on campus after leaving the college chapel (on campus) where the program was held that evening, a school spokesperson says. The campus was closed to observe the King holiday but students were returning for class the next day.

Lee's shooting was the second within a month at a historically Black college in South Carolina.

Forty-five miles away at South Carolina State University in Orangeburg, an 18-year-old freshman was found dead in his dorm, Bethea Hall, in December. Corey Baker of Norcross, Ga., was shot in the chest with a small caliber gun.

The State Law Enforcement Division (SLED) continues to investigate his death, but no arrests have been made and no suspects are in custody, officials say.

Administrators at S.C. State, which is South Carolina's only Black, land-grant institution have, offered a $5,000 reward for information on Baker's death.

The university and SLED have released very little information about the shooting investigation.

The university is cooperating with law enforcement to ensure the circumstances surrounding Baker's death are resolved, says Dr. Leroy Davis, university president.

"S.C. State remains committed to providing a safe and secure environment for the education and development of its students," Davis says.

The two recent murders have generated a lot of media attention for a couple of reasons: they happened within a month of each other, and both students were African American males. Administrators from the two schools say they also believe the crimes have attracted more attention than usual because they occurred on the campuses of historically Black institutions.

However, when a murder takes place on campus, particularly in or outside of a student dormitory, the entire campus community -- students, faculty, staff and administrators -- are forced to deal with campus violence first-hand. Administrators must decide whether all available safety precautions are being taken on behalf of students and the rest of the college community, and if not, whether security should be beefed up. In addition, students as well as university employees are forced to think about how they can best ensure their own safety on campus. Crime occurs in places where one least expects it. Still, students and parents retain the false perception that students are safe within the confines of a college or university campus.

According to a U.S. Department of Education report released last month, the criminal homicide rate on campus was 0.07 per 100,000 students in 1999. In comparison, the criminal homicide rate in the United States was 5.7 per 100,000 persons overall and 14.1 per 100,000 for persons ages 17 to 29.

BEEFED-UP SECURITY

S.C. State students returned after winter break to find fighter security on campus. Bethea Hall was the first of 11 dorms at S.C. State to be equipped with video surveillance, panic bars on exit doors and a card-key entry system. The $200,000 security system, which includes the cost of hiring four new security officers, was installed over the holiday break, Davis says. It came in the wake of Baker's Dec. 11 shooting death just before holidays.

Administrators were able to shift budgeted money around to pay for new security in Bethea Hall, despite a proposed $3.8 million state budget cut this year, Davis says. Similar security systems will be installed in other dorms as money becomes available. Approximately 2,000 students are housed in campus dormitories. Guns or firearms of any kind are prohibited on campus.

"A lot of [the changes] had to do with making sure we didn't leave anything to chance when it comes to having a safe and secure environment," Davis says. "We don't want to give the impression we don't have a safe campus."

Despite the recent shooting incidents, Benedict and S.C. State remain open campuses.

A BITTERSWEET ARREST

While S.C. State works to beef up security in its dormitories, the Benedict College community in Columbia is experiencing bittersweet emotions as three of the four suspects have been charged in connection with Philip Lee's death.

The arrest is bittersweet because Lee is gone, says Benedict spokeswoman Kymm Hunter.

Two of the four suspects are brothers Lucius Staten, 24 and Dushun Staten, 21, both of New York. The third suspect is the Statens' cousin, Shakeem Wilson, 19, of Georgia. At press time police were still looking for a fourth suspect in the shooting.

Some have linked the shooting to gangs, Hunter says.

"But the police are not saying it's a gang shooting. It's hurtful to the family. Until we know exactly what it was, we're not making the connection. Whether they were Bloods (a gang), we don't know. If it is, we'll say. We have nothing to hide," Hunter told Black Issues.