VSU adds safety measures after shooting deaths of 2 students

PETERSBURG, Va. (WWBT) - Virginia State University announced Friday that it was taking additional safety measures after two students died recently in shootings.

“The deaths of Matthew Gibbs and Adrionna West deeply impacted our Trojan community,” VSU President Makola M. Abdullah said in a news release. “While these deaths did not happen on our campus, we are no less saddened and angered by the senseless gun violence that stole two promising young scholars who were also members of our Trojan family.”

Abdullah says the school is working with Petersburg officials on several safety measures:

• VSU Police will meet every day with Petersburg Police to share intelligence and inform the VSU community of any activity/crimes that may impact students.
• VSU Police and Petersburg Police will continue to patrol apartment complexes where students have been assigned.
• Police from VSU, Colonial Heights, Chesterfield, and a private security company will continue to monitor hotels where students have been assigned.
• VSU Police will be called to the scene of any incident in Petersburg that involves any VSU student.
• VSU Police will be alerted to any large gathering of VSU students in Petersburg (including parties).

VSU says that on-campus safety measures will continue to be assessed. Currently, there are more than 1,200 high-definition monitored cameras on campus.

The school says a private company will provide additional security in residence halls, and unannounced safety sweeps will continue.

“We strongly urge students to refrain from attending large off-campus gatherings/parties,” VSU said. “VSU does not sanction these.”

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