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A man by the name of Brandon Bentley was arrested on a college campus at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University with over 1000 rounds of ammunition on March 28, 2023. According to police reports, the individual had been carrying a large duffel bag filled with ammunition and several weapons. It is unclear whether the man intended to use the guns and ammunition for harm, but the presence of such a large amount of weapons on a college campus is cause for concern.
He also had a makeshift firework explosive, brass knuckles, a machete, a sword, a blow dart weapon, a crossbow, a hatchet, a stun gun, a dozen knives, claws, a baton, and pepper spray, the police report detailed. Students and community members are now concerned and encourage stricter gun control laws and better security measures on college campuses.
Brandon Bentley brought guns, a crossbow, a machete, hatchets, choking devices, and 1,000 rounds of ammunition onto a historically Black college campus (NCA&T). He was also violent towards law enforcement.
Yet, not only was he taken into custody unharmed, but was released on bond pic.twitter.com/pTGgC9O6pj
— Angel Jones, PhD (@AngelJonesPhD) April 4, 2023
“The first three words that come to mind are alarmed, concerned, and confused,” said Luscious McEachin, an A&T alum whose sister currently studies at the university. “Alarmed because this could have turned into a full-out terroristic assault on unsuspecting college students. He was arrested at, what, 4 am-ish?… Many students are still sleeping. Bombs, too? That is crazy. I was concerned because my sister is a dorm resident closest to the corner where the suspect was picked up. Fortunately, we were out of town that morning. But what about the other hundreds of residents?”
Students and residents surrounding the community spoke out when the news dropped about the delay in police releasing this serious incident to the public. Some say it was about a week before they knew someone like this was on their campus. “Why weren’t students, parents, and others who are subscribed to Aggie Alert immediately notified through that line of communication designed for emergencies like this?” McEachin asked.
Colleges and universities are encouraged to take responsibility for the safety of their students and staff. Security measures such as metal detectors, bag checks, and surveillance cameras can help to prevent dangerous individuals from entering campus.
