NORFOLK, Va. — Old Dominion University students gathered Tuesday afternoon to advocate for a safer campus in the aftermath of the deadly shooting at Constant Hall on March 12.
Students were seen demonstrating around Kaufman Mall. Students planned to discuss how the ODU President and staff can make the campus safer for all students, according to organizers.
“And they told us. ‘You’re coming back to a safer campus. There’s gonna be safer security measures.’ But as you guys can see, nothing has changed. You can still walk into any of these buildings without scanning in. There has not been security measures taken. And it’s frustrating to the student population because it feels like we’re being put at risk," Old Dominion University Student Michelle Tarbell said.
Tarbell helped organize the demonstration on Tuesday. It was held during Activity Hour, a campus tradition of an open hour for students 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays intended to give students a chance to connect and take a break from classes in their day, according to ODU. Kaufman Mall is the primary outdoor gathering spot on campus; the space includes the University Seal and ODU’s Lion Fountain.
Watch related: Mohamed Jalloh was a current ODU student at the time of the shooting
The discussion on safety follows a shooting on campus earlier in the month. On March 12, 36-year-old Mohamed Bailor Jalloh opened fire on an ROTC classroom in Constant Hall. Lt. Col. Brandon Shah was killed and two others were injured as a result. The students in the classroom then subdued and killed Jalloh.
“It's been kind of a put a band-aid on the wound kind of situation where now we have counselors and therapy dogs. What does that do to keep us safe in the future? It's great for our mental health, but that doesn't help protect us," Jessica Clark, an ODU student who participated in Tuesday's demonstration said.
Students returned to campus from spring break on Monday, attending classes for the first time since the deadly shooting unfolded on campus. They were greeted by university-staffed tents scattered around campus and several therapy dog teams.
Watch related: Old Dominion University students return to class in aftermath of deadly shooting
People also gathered around Constant Hall, where the memorial for Shah continues to grow. Students and staff that would normally have class in the now-closed building could scan a QR code to find the new location where they'll be for the rest of the semester.
Tarbell and Clark are urging fellow students to contact university leadership directly about security concerns. Meanwhile, ODU President Brian Hemphill is promising action. Following the attack, he said in a statement "We will undertake a thorough review of our safety and security practices to determine whether any changes are appropriate to make our campus even safer.”
Students like Tarbell are urging that those safety and security changes be made immediately.
“They're able to do it with the dormitories — they should be able to do it with the lecture halls as well. That's why we're here — we're creating that pushback so that hopefully something can actually be done," Tarbell said.
ODU is offering a range of support resources in the aftermath of the shooting. Click here to read more.
