# Presentation: 371859

## LESSONS LEARNED

**Delaware State University**
**Campus Shooting: **
***A Sampling of Lessons Learned***
*Presented by*
- Chief James Overton
- November 18, 2008

## NEWARK, Aug. 9 — In a day of dramatic turns that included the surrender of one suspect to the mayor himself, the authorities announced on Thursday that a 15-year-old youth and a 28-year-old construction worker had been arrested in the murder of three young people and the wounding of a fourth in an episode that has unsettled this crime-hardened city.

**NEWARK, Aug. 9 — In a day of dramatic turns that included the surrender of one suspect to the mayor himself, the authorities announced on Thursday that a 15-year-old youth and a 28-year-old construction worker had been arrested in the murder of three young people and the wounding of a fourth in an episode that has unsettled this crime-hardened city.**

## Slide 3

## DOVER, Del., Sept. 21 — The campus of Delaware State University was locked down Friday after two freshman students were shot and wounded, one seriously, when an argument that had begun at a university cafeteria resumed on the street, the police said.  The two suspects in the shootings were also students, the police said. One was taken into custody for questioning, and the other was being sought Friday night. Neither was identified publicly. 

**DOVER, Del., Sept. 21 — The campus of Delaware State University was locked down Friday after two freshman students were shot and wounded, one seriously, when an argument that had begun at a university cafeteria resumed on the street, the police said.  The two suspects in the shootings were also students, the police said. One was taken into custody for questioning, and the other was being sought Friday night. Neither was identified publicly. **

- 2 Students injured in campus shooting

## Friday, Sept. 21, 200712:54 a.m.

- 	Delaware State University police received a call that two students were shot on campus near the Memorial Hall gymnasium. A single male suspect is being sought. Victims were transported to hospitals within the state.

- LESSONS LEARNED

## Friday, Sept. 21, 20072:01 a.m.

- Timely warning notification out
- Campus closed to non-essential personnel
- Door-to-door in residence halls to secure students
- Tips/info sought through tip line

- LESSONS LEARNED

## Friday, Sept. 21, 20072:40 a.m.

- Revised timely warning (more information)
- Students secured in residence halls
- Completed notification to employees currently on campus
- Media briefed
- Crisis management team meets
- Notification to campers parked in adjacent lot attending NASCAR event

- LESSONS LEARNED

## Friday, Sept. 21, 20073:56 a.m.

- Update from campus police:  condition of victims/investigation
- Action items launched:  canceling classes, informing constituents through multiple mediums, keeping students in residence halls

- LESSONS LEARNED

## Friday, Sept. 21, 20075:10 a.m.

- President cancels classes/events
- Campus access limited to essential personnel
- Employees directed to take the day off
- Media briefed
- Counseling for students
- Plans in place to handle parents/families wanting to pick up students and for students who want to immediately leave
*Media briefings, communiqués to key constituents, crisis team meetings and action plans activated all day.*

- LESSONS LEARNED

## Limited campus access, canceled classes 
Students still confined to  residence halls with dining plans in place and limited activities
Media briefings and communications to key constituents 

- Students still confined to  residence halls with dining plans in place and limited activities
- Media briefings and communications to key constituents

- LESSONS LEARNED

**Saturday, Sept. 22 and****Sunday, Sept. 23**

## Classes resume 
Media briefings 
Faculty/staff briefing by President and key staff
Student briefings in groups (through Tuesday)
Police arrest a DSU freshman that afternoon. He is charged with one count each of attempted murder first-degree, assault first-degree, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and reckless endangering.

- Media briefings
- Faculty/staff briefing by President and key staff
- Student briefings in groups (through Tuesday)
- Police arrest a DSU freshman that afternoon. He is charged with one count each of attempted murder first-degree, assault first-degree, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and reckless endangering.

**Monday, Sept. 24**

- LESSONS LEARNED

## MediaPositive

- LESSONS LEARNED

**Media*****Positive***

-  Numerous briefings
-  Backgrounders/ prepared statements
-  Real time monitoring of multiple web sites
-  Awareness of key rumors
-  External help in shaping news releases
-  Attention to stereotyping

## MediaChallenges

- LESSONS LEARNED

**Media*****Challenges***

- Back up press office
- Ensure continuous spokesperson training
- Be ready with alternative briefing sites
- Handle staff fatigue

## Constituent CommunicationsPositives

- LESSONS LEARNED

**Constituent Communications*****Positives***

-  Timely
-  Often
-  Multiple campus briefings
-  Multiple mediums

## Constituent CommunicationsChallenges

- LESSONS LEARNED

**Constituent Communications*****Challenges***

- Complete implementation of wireless cellular emergency system
- Collect more parent e-mails
- Earlier activation of  parent hotline
- Don’t assume constituents read e-mail/use web

## University Crisis Management TeamPositives

- LESSONS LEARNED

**University Crisis Management Team*****Positives***

- Quick response
- Assumed the worst to maximize efforts
- Close contact with victims’ families
- Smooth implementation of emergency funds
- Quick activation of support from state and federal agencies
- Promotion of tip line

## University Crisis Management TeamChallenges

- LESSONS LEARNED

**University Crisis Management Team*****Challenges***

- Lack of  real crisis experience among some members
- Up-to-date cell contact list
- Care and feeding of staff on “front” lines

## Student AffairsPositives

- LESSONS LEARNED

**Student Affairs*****Positives***

- Quick residence hall alerts
- Quick securing of students in residence halls
- Plans in place to feed students/offer activities while secured in halls
- Continuous counseling
- Plans in place for students who wanted to leave or parents who wanted to pick them up
- Student meetings by President/key staff

## Student AffairsChallenges

- LESSONS LEARNED

**Student Affairs*****Challenges***

- Means for students to voice global concerns about violence
- More visibility—students want an immediate “parent” figure
- Process for answering constant flow of parent inquiries
- Clearer process for parents to retrieve students

## AftermathA sampling of actions

- Put incident in global societal context
- Increase police presence per students’ request
- Articulate enhanced safety measures
- Increase presence of admissions counselors in key territories
- Heal through memorials, named scholarships, etc.

- LESSONS LEARNED

## 	“Based on everything I have seen so far, they’ve done everything right,” said S. Daniel Carter, senior vice president of the nonprofit Security on campus.  “They’ve put their warning out; they’ve secured the campus, and they’ve done what they needed to do.”

--Saturday, September 22, 2007, The News Journal

- --Saturday, September 22, 2007, *The News Journal*

- LESSONS LEARNED

- LESSONS LEARNED

- Questions?