ATLANTA — A deadly mass shooting that happened hundreds of miles away is being felt at colleges and universities all over metro Atlanta. The shooting raises the question of how students at schools in the area feel about their safety.
There's a general sense of safety among the students at Georgia State University, one day following the mass shooting at Michigan State University. However, many students are keeping their guard up.
"Of course, no one wants that to ever happen at school, especially because school is supposed to be a place where everyone should be safe," said Leslie Tornez said. “I feel like the school does its part. Sometimes walking around, I see officers are on campus.”
Tornez, a junior marketing major, said she felt that way at GSU because of what she described as a steady police presence and options to call authorities on campus in case of emergency. Miles Thomas, a junior business economics major at Georgia State, said Monday's mass shooting was not a situation, for which he is prepared.
"To be a student, to hear about this at another university is scary," Thomas said. "But I do have faith and trust that Georgia State will provide safety for us. I feel like it’s a very traumatic experience I wouldn’t know what to do, wouldn’t know how to act."
The likelihood there is an active shooter situation at Georgia State, located in Downtown Atlanta, is relatively low in Jawad Hamed's opinion.
"Stuff rarely happens here. It doesn't mean it's not going to happen," Hamed said. "It's just due to all the stuff in the last year, COVID, Georgia State has really ramped up security. Trusting the police, getting to know who’s protecting you, and getting to trust and know your fellow students will help. You basically have to watch your back but also not be too paranoid.”
At Georgia Tech, the police department's emergency management division conducts threat and risk assessments, as well as drills and security audits, and regularly updates its emergency action plan.
The University of Georgia recently announced an investment of $8.5 million in a rideshare program, a push to hire more police officers on campus and lighting and security improvements.
"I think it’s very unfortunate," Georgia State junior marketing major Ashley Hernandez said. "I think, you know, school should be a place where you feel safe. I would hate if that were to happen here. Here, I think I feel pretty safe. We have a couple officers and stuff around campus. I feel pretty safe, and I do carry a pocketknife just in case.”
Tornez added students also have a role to play when it comes to keeping each other safe and secure.
"Don’t go alone in places," Tornez said. "Always have a buddy with you or just have your phone with you in close access.”