Home invasion at son's apartment.

[jacketch]

My oldest son is a college senior, an engineering major, and he lives off campus in a large house in a somewhat rundown area of the town near the university. It is typical of the areas around many urban unversities. There are four other students who live in the house with him.

Last night he went to a friends place for a study group and then went home at about 10:00pm. When he walked into the house he was thrown to the floor. Ten minutes earlier, two men had knocked on the door and when it was opened by one of the other residents, they pulled guns and forced their way in. They rounded up the four occcupants and started to demand to know where the drugs and guns were. After they roughed up the frightened students, three males and one female, my son showed up and soon after another friend also stopped by. One of the BG's had what looked like a .45, the other had what appeared to be a 9mm. The invaders continued to demand guns and drugs and singled out several of the students to threaten with death if they didn't get them. When the terrified students could not give them what they wanted (this about half an hour after they first burst in), they herded them into the bathroom and one of the BG's started to discuss shooting them. This went on for about ten minutes. The scumbags then took everyones wallet and all the electronic equipment and anything else of value and left.The police were immediately called and soon the place was swarming with LEO's.Thank God that no one was killed or seriously injured.

My son, along with the other residents, have moved onto the campus temporarily and are looking for somewhere else to live. The school has said that they would support the students for breaking their lease since the house was on the schools approved list.

I have not completely absorbed this all and my wife, bless her, has taken the news as well as can be expected. This is not the first time these BG's have done this and hopefully the authorities will catch them soon.

 

[longtom4570]

Wow glad no one was hurt!

 

[treeprof]

Glad to hear it didn't turn out worse. Is this University owned property, or just endorsed as a place to live?

It's nice that most states have made universities victim disarmament zones, a point not lost on BG's.

 

[jacketch]

The apartment is not university owned.

 

[geekWithA.45]

good god.

I'm thankful they were so lucky so as to escape with their bodies intact.

The next task will be to help them keep their spirits intact.

Best wishes.

 

[jacketch]

The university will be providing counselors.

 

[outfieldjack]

Glad everyone is ok....

Make sure they have a door with a peep-hole..... don't want to open that door to someone they don't know!

 

[sm]

... When he walked into the house...

Yep, I Know that feeling, BTDT.

I'm really sorry this happened to the students, glad nobody hurt-or worse.
Counseling is good, I hope perhaps a class in SA and security measures can be worked out with the local LEOs or something.

Frustrates me, just because one is in college , not allowed the means to better protect themselves. BGs know this, too bad our educators and politicans don't.

 

[4v50 Gary]

Find the hole and fill it.

 

[Travis McGee]

Thank God nobody was hurt....physically.
But they were hurt badly, very badly, inside.
I hope the scumbags are captured and killed.

 

[ny32182]

I'm glad no one was killed.

I live under similar circumstances. The only time I don't have a gun with me is when I go on campus, and I'd have one then if it were not a felony to be caught with one. I really don't see why firearms are as illegal as heroine on a college campus.

:banghead:

What school was it, if you don't mind me asking? While our campus is far from crime free, I don't think we've had an incident like that involving a student since I've been here.

 

[jacketch]

It was at ODU in Norfolk.

 

[Standing Wolf]

I'm glad your son and his roomies are still alive.

I shudder to remember how I lived as a college kid.

 

[ojibweindian]

The area around ODU was a problem in the early 90's, when I was stationed in Norfolk. Apparently, it still is.

Glad no good guys were hurt.

I lived in a complex on Little Creek Blvd that was in a pretty decent neighborhood. But the rent was a bit steep.

 

[Baba Louie]

WOW!

Hard to get happy after that I'll bet. Once the shock wears off, here's to hoping they have the intestinal fortitude to steel themselves into resolving to never allow that to happen to them again. Figuring out why things happened (who told BG's there were drugs and guns?), who were the BG's, what can each of them do to protect themselves in case BG's come back for more. Or to get the word out to their friends to beware these ner-do-wells.

A few letters to the editor espousing self defense in a land of unarmed victims might be warranted. An article or two on preventative measures for future victims as well. Some method to signal other roomies that all is NOT well within. Serious conversations with the local police to see just how frequent this sort of crime is and in what areas and what their advice is (besides give them what they want... whaddya do if you don't HAVE any guns or drugs?).

Jeez, I don't really know that any solution other than being armed 24/7 while living your daily life could have stopped the BG's, or living in a fortress strong and mighty, and I sure wouldn't want that to happen to my son or daughter or their friends. Time to share the story with them and see what they think they might do in such a case.

I'm soooo glad they're OK jacketch. Bad stuff happens to good people.

Tough lesson to learn in College.

Adios

 

[CWL]

No one was hurt, anything stolen can be replaced. No one was hurt.

Move forward with this view.

 

[Mike Irwin]

I was in Charlottesville today and this was mentioned, on the local news, along with mention of a bunch of armed robberies at U Maryland, as part of a growing crime trend on urban campuses.

 

[Ladybug]

Gosh that's aweful - I'm glad no one was hurt. Good thoughts being sent to you, your family and your son's friends.

 

[Tommy Gunn]

This house is off-campus yes?

Then how can the University demand that there be no guns in the house?

 

[jacketch]

The university doesn't control gun ownership off campus, but by limiting rights to carry on campus they have notified all local thugs that any student traveling on or off campus will be unarmed.

Could they have had a firearm in the apartment? I don't know all the local ordinances but I would think so. I wonder how successfully one could have been used in this situation. It would need lots of training and planning by a number of people to work. It certainly is something to think about.

 

[Norton]

Glad that everyone is alright. This trend is not limited to only urban campuses, I'm afraid. There have several instances of "townies" (hey, we're all townies somewhere, right? ) singling out JMU students for attacks in Harrisonburg. Truth is, college students have money and the BGs know that.

Too bad most (though thankfully not all) college students are still going through their lives with their liberal, public school notions that the world is a happy, kum ba ya, group hug sort of place.

ODU was a rough place back in the late '80s when I went down there from my college for some events. We went into the local stop and rob for some libations only to find all of the refrigerators chained shut so the local citizenry wouldn't just walk and take stuff

 

[BeLikeTrey]

other options

First off I have to say thank God the kids are ok.

I would think that if one is to be disarmed or not allowed to carry a means of defense, then some other alternative should be provided. I don't have all the answers but ... Some campus housing around here in SC have panic buttons that are relatively inconspicuous. A responsible campus would install these and only recommend housing that have these devices. Pressure landlords with housing for students, by putting only those with the alarms on the "cool" list. Recommend against those without.
Sorry, I'm about to go into a rant. It just seems like there is more taking away of our right to protect ourselves these days and less providing of viable alternatives that are considered Politically Correct. I think alot of people have forgotten the fact that the police arrive 99% of the time AFTER there is a victim. So the police are NOT viable protection. (unless coupled with an inconspicuous panic button)

By the way I lived in Norfolk a little while myself. Some of those areas I wouldn't walk in daylight with my Concealed Weapon.

 

[kernal_panic]

f the counsolers! get that boy something that has the words "remington magnum" engraved down the sides and work up a security plan. harbor freight sells a security camera for a measly $30 that has a mic built in. get some of those up. AND CHANGE SCHOOLS.

 

[xenophon]

Wow, scary situation. An apartment would seem like a more secure place than a home (apartments that have locked front doors) but I guess you never know. I gotta wonder how they would have faired if one of the four roomates did have a gun. 2 against 4, but there were 2 guns so even if there was a gun on hand to defense with, still at a disadvantage. If I was there and was armed, if the burst in and got the quick upper hand, I would have kept my piece hidden until a) they decided to start a killing or b) they turn their back on me and I have a clear shot on both badguys at the same time, with no innocents behind them. How would you handle this if you had a gun and this happened?

x

 

[chaim]

Sorry to hear about that. I'm glad your son and his roommates are OK. Any of them considering gun ownership and training (are any over 21 where they can effectively consider that option)? I can relate to the no guns on campus. I live in MD where virtually no one is allowed to carry. I drop a J-frame (usually) in my pocket or wear it IWB while at home and I simply have to remember to remove it before leaving. Maybe your son and his roommates may want to consider a similar plan.

Unfortunately Mike is right. This is a growing trend. My alma mater (Towson University) is in a pretty upscale Baltimore suburb. Well, there is quite a crime wave going on there this year. One rape, several assults, and a bunch of armed robberies (gee, no carry in MD, carry a gun on campus that is another crime, yet somehow the criminals must not have been told since they have been using guns to rob students and visitors in the school parking garages ).

Anyway, I hope everything turns out ok for your son and his friends. Hopefully, no long term emotional scars. Hopefully, the bad guys are caught, and hopefully there is insurance for the lost property.