College campuses are fun places. On a warm day, you'll find people sunbathing, skateboarding, barbecuing, and simply having a good time. When I made the decision to come to an open campus, I never really thought about what could go wrong. I only ever visited a few colleges in my senior year of high school. One was a close campus in Oregon, two were New York City open campuses, and the last one was Purchase College.
Throughout the years, it's sadly easy to think about times when guns are being opened on not only college campuses, but in far too many places. As I was sitting in my room with my friends on Sunday night, I never expected to receive a text from my school that there was a possible armed suspect who fled one of the apartment complexes into the woods.
Earlier that day, there was a block party in one of the apartment complexes, and all students were invited. In order to bring a guest, they technically had to be registered through the school, but it's a rule that's not often enforced quite as much as I think it should be. Although I didn't attend, the block party itself was meant to celebrate the warm weather and bring us Purchase Panthers together.
From what I heard from students who did attend, toward the end of the party, there was an altercation between the suspect and a student. The suspect himself had been asking for weed throughout the day and telling people he didn't attend the college, and it was during the altercation that a few students saw a gun.
It was at this point that the University Police and local police were called. Then the school was put on lockdown. I remained in my room with my friends and we closed the blinds, not completely sure as to what was happening. We were updated a few times throughout the night, and although we felt safe in our room knowing the suspect had fled into the woods, there was still a looming fear.
Throughout the night, we tried to keep it lighthearted, but we also constantly checked news updates, learned the difference between "active shooter" and "armed suspect," and refreshed our email for the latest update from the college. At one point we swore we heard gunshots, and although bullet casings were found in our athletics field, another report told us that no shots were fired.
At around 11:30, we were told that our college was officially "safe and secure" although they hadn't found the suspect yet. Trusting the college, my friends, along with everyone else not in their rooms, I returned back to go to bed for classes the next day.
It was an eventful evening, to say the least. Between talking to family members and wondering why exactly someone would bring a gun on campus, we went to bed in confusion.
Everyone has different beliefs on gun control. Some of my friends and family members own guns legally for hunting and defense, and some are from cities like mine where guns aren't part of our daily lives. Regardless of where we're from, though, I believe we all felt terror from the fact that the suspect was armed.
This article isn't meant to sway you one way or another for gun control, make you get rid of the gun in your top drawer in case of an intruder, or stop you from hunting, but it is meant to make you think twice about that gun. I'm sure there are "good uses" and everyone will tell a story as to why they need it, but guns can be terrifying. Personally, my friends and I felt safe locked in our room, but there was still a sense of fear, and I can't even imagine what went through the minds of people who actually saw the weapon.
An open campus has the benefit of being an inviting place for everyone, and it usually is. From people walking their dogs to the easiness of being able to invite a friend up for an afternoon just to hang out, open campuses are wonderful things. On the flip side, though, when a person decides to instill terror, it causes people to think twice. I personally don't think the armed suspect had the intention of hurting anyone. Why he had a gun in the first place is a question I'd like answered, but I think he saw the cops and ran for fear of trouble.
Regardless, though, the gun instilled terror, and it's a fear that spreads. Social media works quickly, and once Purchase was the number one trending thing on Facebook, we received messages from High School friends, family, and others who wanted to make sure we were safe.
In conclusion, I simply want everyone who reads this article to be aware that an open campus is for the sake of openness. The fact that we now have to be extra wary of situations like this is heartbreaking, but it brought us together. Guns are a topic of debate all the time, but whoever you are, whether you own a gun or not, even if they aren't used, their presence alone brings fear to everyone aware, and it's the type of fear that no one should have to experience, yet far too many have.
