By REED CARR, CSU Public Relations Intern
The recent school shooting in Florida once again has people wondering, “what should I do in that situation?”
Some think school faculty should carry guns—some think that’s the wrong place to start.
“The argument for teachers and professors carrying firearms is that this possibility would cause someone contemplating violence in a school from carrying this out,” said Sandi Schnorenberg, head of campus security. “First, carrying a firearm is very big responsibility and not one everyone is willing to accept. You first must ask yourself whether you would be mentally and emotionally able to point the firearm at another living person and pull the trigger.”
Carrying a firearm is a huge responsibility, especially when you’re expected to use it to protect other people.
“Once you have answered the question about whether you are mentally capable of owning and using a firearm, you must then decide whether you are willing to practice with your firearm so that you become familiar with and proficient in the use of the firearm,” she said. “Without doing so, you become a hazard to many others should you have to use the firearm for protection.”
Campus security is constantly working to further develop a solid defense against an intruder.
“We have layers of systems in place at the University to reduce the chances of a shooting incident. We have staff here 24/7 patrolling and monitoring campus, prepared to intervene if we encounter suspicious or concerning behavior (which is a common precursor to violent incidents),” she said. “We encourage our community to let us know if they see any suspicious or concerning behavior, and have staff available 24/7 to follow up on reports.”
MSU campus security are unarmed. They collaborate with the Minnesota Department of Public safety to help come up with a game plan in an active shooter situation.
“I meet with DPS (Department of Public Safety) frequently and we will participate in training and exercises with them to further define what our roles will be if an incident happens on campus. DPS actively trains and drills for active violence incidents and are part of a regional public safety group that are working together to prepare themselves should an active violence incident happen here or in the community.”
One thing anyone can do, is notify authorities whenever you hear about a possible threat.
“What strikes me about the Florida incident is the number of people that knew that this particular student was capable of and had threatened violence. We all have a responsibility and a duty to come forward when we see someone who is displaying violent tendencies.”
Students and faculty can report information about a possible threat by calling (507) 389-2111. If they wish to remain anonymous they can report a threat at https://www.mnsu.edu/student/alert/ or make a Silent Witness Report at https://www.mnsu.edu/security/silentwitnessreport.html.
