UAFS Student Says Brought Gun to Campus for Safety
By: Rebecca Jeffrey
Updated: January 24, 2013
It took one anonymous tip that led police to a deadly weapon on the University of Arkansas Fort Smith campus.
"It shocked me pretty big, it hit me pretty hard I'll tell you that," one student said.
In the Breedlove Building Friday, a classmate noticed a 9 mm handgun on student Brett Wards hip and told campus police.
It was before a 12 pm class in room 207 when his teacher took him out of class and police confronted him.
He had the Glock in his vest pocket and without incident, handed it over to police and was taken into custody.
"Number 1, he violated the law in that he carried it on campus, number 2 that he doesn't have a carry license," UAFS Chancellor Paul Beran said.
The 23-year-old told police he was in the Army National Guard and recent school shootings had him concerned about his safety on campus.
"The student was concerned based on the things that have happened recently at institutions and had a misguided sense of reality that carrying one on our campus was going to make his safer," Beran said.
Something some students agree with.
"By all means, you have a right to protect yourself. If he had no means to shoot someone on campus that wasn't gonna hurt him, then I don't see the big issue," one student said.
But not everyone.
"It was after the fact when I found out but now that I think about it, pretty nervous you know, cause anybody could just bring a gun on campus, you know it was that easy for him to bring it," another student said.
But Beran assures students, safety remains a top priority.
"I personally know that we do not have a significant threat on this campus and the students are in a very safe environment here."
Ward will not be allowed back on campus without following disciplinary procedure. Campus officials do not yet know if they will allow him to return to UAFS in the future.
"It shocked me pretty big, it hit me pretty hard I'll tell you that," one student said.
In the Breedlove Building Friday, a classmate noticed a 9 mm handgun on student Brett Wards hip and told campus police.
It was before a 12 pm class in room 207 when his teacher took him out of class and police confronted him.
He had the Glock in his vest pocket and without incident, handed it over to police and was taken into custody.
"Number 1, he violated the law in that he carried it on campus, number 2 that he doesn't have a carry license," UAFS Chancellor Paul Beran said.
The 23-year-old told police he was in the Army National Guard and recent school shootings had him concerned about his safety on campus.
"The student was concerned based on the things that have happened recently at institutions and had a misguided sense of reality that carrying one on our campus was going to make his safer," Beran said.
Something some students agree with.
"By all means, you have a right to protect yourself. If he had no means to shoot someone on campus that wasn't gonna hurt him, then I don't see the big issue," one student said.
But not everyone.
"It was after the fact when I found out but now that I think about it, pretty nervous you know, cause anybody could just bring a gun on campus, you know it was that easy for him to bring it," another student said.
But Beran assures students, safety remains a top priority.
"I personally know that we do not have a significant threat on this campus and the students are in a very safe environment here."
Ward will not be allowed back on campus without following disciplinary procedure. Campus officials do not yet know if they will allow him to return to UAFS in the future.
