Students and staff are concerned about a man who was found in the basement of Walker Hall dormitory.
See for more on the situation.
A man described as about 5-foot-7-inch and caucasian with reddish-brown hair and a beard was caught by students and maintenance workers in a storage room in Walker Hall. No one knows who the man was, if he was homeless or why he was in the dorm.
The fact that an unknown person was staying in a storage closet for an unknown amount of time puts students at risk of potential danger.
If students see suspicious persons on campus, they should call campus police immediately, even if the situation ends up being nothing. If something seems unusual or gives students an uncomfortable feeling, it’s better to be safe and report it than to not say anything.
The doors of Walker Hall stay open for several seconds to comply with American Disabilities Act standards. Because of this, it’s easy for people to file in behind the original person who swiped their card to unlock the door. Aside from that, many students are cordial enough to hold doors open for others, even if they don’t know them.
Letting others in can lead to potential danger, especially if the person isn’t a student. If someone suspicious walks into one of the dormitories, students should contact Oklahoma City University Police Department to properly handle the situation. It is also a good idea to contact the RA on call so that they are aware of the situation.
Because OCU is ungated and directly borders a major road, anyone can walk onto campus, but they aren’t allowed to be here without prior approval becasue OCU’s campus is private property. Contacting officials to let them know of suspicious persons in buildings or roaming campus keeps the campus community safer.
Although handling a situation by oneself may seem intuitive to some, informing OCUPD can be the difference between life or death. When in doubt, students should call them. Campus police officers are trained on how to approach and deal with trespassers. It’s not the student body’s responsibility to get these people off campus.
OCUPD may be reached by calling the non-emergency number 405-208-5001 or the emergency number 405-208-5911.
Leave a Reply