MARIETTA - More than 150 Marietta College students met with school administrators late into the night Monday after multiple weapons were found that afternoon in a car on campus and a student was detained.
The students, a number in pajamas as they attended the quickly organized 10:30 p.m. meeting at Andrews Hall, expressed fear and confusion over the series of events that unfolded Monday after a campus police officer discovered firearms in a student's vehicle during a routine parking enforcement patrol.
"Make sure he never comes back," one young woman shouted when asked what else students wanted done after the man was removed from campus.
School and city authorities said there is no indication the student, whose name they did not release, planned to use the weapons against anyone.
A Marietta police dispatcher said early this morning that no criminal charges had been filed against the student.
Having weapons on campus is a violation of the college's creed, said school President Jean Scott.
"We have removed him (the student) from campus," she said, adding the guns are secure and there is no reason to believe the individual can access them or any other weapons.
School officials would not disclose the individual's location, saying only that he would not be back on campus for at least three days.
Marietta police Sgt. Rod Hupp, who attended the meeting at the request of college administrators, said although his department had been notified, the investigation was being handled by campus police. Campus police Chief Howard Korn declined comment on many issues, saying it was the school's policy that spokesman Tom Perry respond to media inquiries. Perry could not be reached for comment Monday night and was not at the meeting.
Many students were initially frustrated, asking school officials why action had not been taken sooner, when other concerns had been raised about the individual, and expressing fear about their safety should the owner of the guns return to campus.
A report that the student would be allowed to attend classes could not be confirmed this morning.
Dean of Students Lon Vickers stressed the college had to follow procedures and could not immediately permanently ban the student.
"That is not the process that we have at Marietta College," he said.
The meeting was called after an e-mail was sent by Vickers, reporting the discovery and seizure of the guns. It says the college's Threat Assessment Team was notified and the group "determined that the person of interestás access to campus has been limited to just attending class."
Students, however, were still concerned. Vickers began receiving multiple phone calls as did the student body president, leading to the decision to have the meeting, Scott said.
"It's better to get people together, even when you get a certain amount of anger," she said.
There was anger, as students questioned the time the e-mail was sent after 8 p.m. It was not clear what time the guns were discovered, but it apparently was several hours earlier.
Students also questioned the Threat Assessment Team's contention that there was no immediate danger when the guns were found. Although college officials did not use the individual's name, several students apparently knew who he was and said his previous actions had made them nervous, something compounded by Monday's events.
Some students brought up the events at Virginia Tech in spring 2007 when student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and himself.
Vickers said there was no indication of any type of conspiracy or plan to carry out such an act.
While some students left the meeting early and were still visibly frustrated, others said the administration's response reassured them.
Student Leah Bonazza was skeptical at the start of the meeting, but said she felt better by the time it was over, around 1 a.m. today.
"Before the meeting, I had a lot of questions and concerns, but I feel like the president and Lon Vickers answered all our concerns," she said. "They did a very good job doing the best that they could in handling this situation."
Some students did not know what was going on until they arrived at the meeting. Student senate member Joshua Maxwell said he worked from 3-10 p.m. and was told by friends to come to Andrews Hall for the gathering.
"I feel safe," he said afterward. "The situation, I know for a fact, is contained. Theyáve (college officials) done everything they can, because they are bound by the law."
