UCCS students petitioning for increased security following deadly shooting on campus
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Students at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) are taking action after a deadly shooting on their campus.
Their push comes on the heels of a deadly shooting that took place on February 16.
Although the gunman is behind bars, students say they’re still left feeling unprotected.
An online petition started by a UCCS student is gaining traction online with over 600 signatures.
The petition details moments from the morning of the shooting to how UCCS responded - all in the eyes of students.
It reads in part, “You are responsible for the 11,000 students who enroll and pay tuition at UCCS, plus demand all first-year students live on campus, yet our safety isn’t worth the extra bill."
It goes on to say, "You’ve threatened us with cameras in our elevators yet left our living areas unprotected."
The petition ends by asking the university for more cameras outside dorms, secure classroom buildings, and working surveillance in all parking lots.
KRDO13 reached out to the university for comment. They would not go on camera, but did release the following statement reading in part quote:
Safety has been and will continue to be something we think about and work to improve every day. Below is a list of a few of our campus safety resources and projects:
Chris Valentine, UCCS
- We have a full-time campus police department who provide round-the-clock response to emergency and non-emergency situations relating to the safety and security of people and property associated with the University.
- UCCS Safe App - The app will send users important safety alerts and provide instant access to campus safety resources, such as Friend Walk, Virtual Safety Walk, and multiple ways to report an incident.
- While we currently have cameras on campus, a project was initiated in 2023 to increase the coverage of our cameras. This project should be complete later this year.
Students say while they don't feel say on the campus right now, they are hopeful to see changes in the near future.
They add that they hope the university will consider their requests in honor of their deceased classmate, Samuel Knopp and the other woman, Celie Montgomery.
