Posted by WODU Radio | Posted in | Posted on 2:32 PM
All four survived the shooting.
A neighbor, Clairnese Dickens, said a man got in a fi ght after being thrown out of a party.
He then returned with a handgun, according to The Virginian-Pilot.
Several shots were fi red, according to Dickens. First into the air, then toward the house where the party took place, and fi nally into a throng of people.
“I’ve been here for four years, and this is the worst I’ve felt about my safety,” said senior Katrina Mullens. “But I think it’s come with more awareness of what’s happening. I have thought about it more now.”
From Sept. 9 to Oct. 8, there have been 11 instances of either violent crime, burglary or rape at 34th Street and Colley Avenue, according to the City of Norfolk Web site. This could bring students to question the safety of the neighborhoods surrounding campus and how what they do affects their well-being.
“I won’t go walking by myself after dark anymore,” said freshman Jennifer Steiger.
The nearby streets being dark at night is causing concern for some students.
“This whole area is dangerous,” said freshman Jessica Gilmore. “It needs to be better lit.”
“During the night it’s a little scary, a little shady,” said sophomore Amanda Buckley.
Some students showed no surprise when they found out about the shooting. They seemed to think crime in the area or anywhere is inevitable.
“I don’t think anyone is surprised,” said Buckley. “But I don’t think anyone can do anything either.”
“I wasn’t surprised,” said freshman Daniel Foster. “It’s going to happen anywhere.”
“Honestly, no place is ever safe,” said freshman Davina Jones. “You can try to avoid it, but you’re never safe. Not even in your own house.”
Knowledge of certain areas of Norfolk was something students said affected where and when they go to a party. Some students are taking into account which areas are more risky than others around ODU.
“It’s understanding where to go and where not to go,” said junior Erica Kane. “We have the same problems as big cities, but in different proportions. You need to identify where those bad areas are.”
“I don’t think I’ll ever go down [34th Street],” said sophomore Yolanda Villegas. “You never know what’s going to happen. If it happened once, it could happen again.”
Certain students said they would only go to streets further from campus if they were driving. Sophomore Michael Ashton said he would only go past 42nd Street in a car.
“ As long as it’s not after twilight, I feel fi ne,” said Ashton. “After that, I’m not so sure.”
“I don’t walk around at night,” said Buckley.
“Even in a car, windows up, doors locked.”
Some female students at ODU even resorted to carrying mace. Mullens said she purchased mace after she became more aware of the local violence.
“I have mace in my purse, in case I’m ever out at night,” said sophomore Katie Moore.
Other students said they wonder what the school’s approach will be now after what has happened.
“It doesn’t make me question the security of the school, but I do wonder what the university’s actions are going to be,” said freshman Laura Incheck.
The lack of security in neighboring areas has also been questioned by some students.
“I feel [these events] are unsafe. It puts a lot of students at risk,” said junior Corey Akhindenor.
“I think more campus security is needed.”
“It could have been prevented,” said freshman Lashay Corprew. “They could patrol that area more.”
Attempts to contact the Norfolk Police Department for comment did not garner a response, and the police report given by the department was a document with information blacked out.
Certain students said they would only go to streets further from campus if they were driving. Sophomore Michael Ashton said he would only go past 42nd Street in a car.
“ As long as it’s not after twilight, I feel fi ne,” said Ashton. “After that, I’m not so sure.”
“I don’t walk around at night,” said Buckley.
“Even in a car, windows up, doors locked.”
Some female students at ODU even resorted to carrying mace. Mullens said she purchased mace after she became more aware of the local violence.
“I have mace in my purse, in case I’m ever out at night,” said sophomore Katie Moore.
Other students said they wonder what the school’s approach will be now after what has happened.
“It doesn’t make me question the security of the school, but I do wonder what the university’s actions are going to be,” said freshman Laura Incheck.
The lack of security in neighboring areas has also been questioned by some students.
“I feel [these events] are unsafe. It puts a lot of students at risk,” said junior Corey Akhindenor.
“I think more campus security is needed.”
“It could have been prevented,” said freshman Lashay Corprew. “They could patrol that area more.”
Attempts to contact the Norfolk Police Department for comment did not garner a response, and the police report given by the department was a document with information blacked out.
757 NEWS
Homecoming is the week high school memories are supposed to be made. But today a fight involving 14 students at Granby High School made this a week to remember in a different way.
School officials say two girls got into an argument at lunch, and when the girls and their parents were walking out of the school office they got into a physical fight involving twelve other students: 2 boys, 12 girls and a parent.
Now: the teens are facing disorderly conduct charges and the parent is facing assault charges.
"We were all pushed into the lunch room .. And it was just crazy . .there was all of these things happening all at once," says Emily Taylor.
Alberta Taylor was waiting outside to pick up her daughter up from school and saw the events unfold.
"There's just violence everywhere … And at least everybody at the school was ready. I do commend the teachers. It's upsetting to come here. And see all of this and hear what happened."
Each of the suspended students will meet with school administration to determine if there will be move disciplinary actions taken.
Even though those involved in the fight have been suspended, the school has decided to cancel some homecoming events including the pep rally and the school dance because of security concerns.
WORLD NEWS
Puerto Ricans protest mass gov't layoffs
By MIKE MELIA
, AP
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -Thousands of demonstrators swarmed Puerto Rico's financial hub Thursday, blocking highways and setting fires in the streets of the capital to protest massive layoffs of government workers.
As a sea of people waved flags and banners, sound trucks blasted chants criticizing Gov. Luis Fortuno, who says the dismissal of more than 20,000 public employees is necessary to close a $3.2 billion deficit and pull the economy out of a three-year recession.
"This government wants to take food out of people's mouths," said Hanser Moreno, 54, who owns a restaurant in the college town of Rio Piedras. He carried a homemade sign saying, "The people deserve respect."
Labor unions, business owners and others supporting the dismissed workers converged on the Caribbean's largest shopping center, Plaza Las Americas, which closed for the day because of security concerns. In the capital's nearby banking district, hundreds of trucks honked as they rolled slowly past gleaming office towers.
Traffic was light elsewhere in the capital as unions of public and private employees answered the call for a one-day general strike. San Juan's international airport was operating as usual and hotels were not affected, said Jaime Lopez Diaz, director of Puerto Rico's tourism company.
The governor, who took office earlier this year, defended the job cuts.
"There are many difficult personal stories created by layoffs like this. However, without these layoffs the government would face future deficits that would affect thousands more workers, inside and outside of government," Fortuno said in a statement.
Puerto Rico has a jobless rate of 15.8 percent — higher than any U.S. state or territory. That is expected to rise to 17.1 percent once most of the layoffs take effect in November.
Sergio Marxuach, an analyst with the Center for the New Economy think tank, said it is too early to tell whether the government plan will work, but he predicted that in the short term, at least, the layoffs will deepen the recession.
"You can expect a lot of those laid off government workers to actually expect more in government service. For example they might have to take their kids out of private school and send to public schools," Marxuach said. "The net effect for savings in government may not be realized."
Roughly 15,000 police were assigned to the protests, according to superintendent Jose Figueroa Sancha.
Officers cleared blockades from two highways, but there were no immediate reports of violence.
Angela Wilson of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, said she was discouraged from visiting colonial Old San Juan because shops would be closed. Things were so quiet, she planned to cut her vacation short.
"Everything is closed," Wilson said. "There's not much to do."
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