WSSU Officers respond to "active shooter" notification.
On Wednesday, May 12, from 8 a.m. until approximately 3 p.m., Winston-Salem State University participated in a full-scale drill to simulate a real emergency on campus. All campuses within the UNC system are holding these mock “active shooter” exercises in an effort to ensure that the university is prepared in case of an actual emergency.
The drill included two gunmen who have shot victims in Brown Hall with Campus Police responding and shooting one of the suspects. The second shooter took hostages at the Thompson Center and later a vehicle in Parking Lot O was identified as containing unknown devices, which could possibly be explosives.
Drill evaluator observes officer in action.
City of Winston-Salem Fire and HAZMAT personnel also participated in the drill.
While the drill focused on Brown Hall, the Thompson Center and one parking lot, the entire eastern side of the campus was locked down after 8 a.m. The campus was closed to students, visitors and vendors.
The WSSU Public Safety Office coordinated the exercise, which also included local law enforcement and emergency response agencies. WSSU security was stationed at all entrances once the campus went into lockdown.
Since this exercise was designed to simulate WSSU’s response to a shooter on campus, all personnel were requested to do what they would do in a real emergency: stay inside or go inside; close windows and doors and wait for updates.
The result of the test was that the university and emergency responders all said they learned a few things that will need to be improved in case of a real emergency.
