One Monday, July 22, a young woman got off of a city bus, on her way to Howard University campus. A male passenger that was also on the bus followed her into the school, pushed her into a classroom and sexually assaulted her. Police were called, but no arrests were made.
Since September, Howard University has dealt with violent crimes, armed robberies, thefts and assaults. And on Tuesday, July 23, Superior Court Judge Herbert Dixon sentenced Alazajuan Gray, 20, to 14 years in prison after he and his friend Clifton Smith were found guilty of robbing two Maryland college students.
It makes you wonder, how could this happen? This is getting out of hand. We need to add extra security on our college campuses. Safety should be our main concern when we send our children to college.
When I was selling Street Sense papers in Tenleytown, a very good friend of mine, who was attending American University, was robbed of his iPhone. While I was talking to him at CVS, he said the person who did it was standing outside of the store. And to make things even worse, the guy who robbed him was using his phone. We called the police, the guy was arrested and my friend’s phone was returned.
Now, there is more police presence to assure parents that their kids will be safe on and off campus. But until things get better, I’ll say to all college kids, be more aware of your surroundings. At night, make sure you’re in well-lit areas. Try walking with more friends. Some things can be avoided just by being smart. Safety is the number one concern
