While not the typical school shooting with which our nation has become all too familiar, Lone Star College experienced a lockdown and partial student evacuation after shots rang out shortly before 1 p.m. Central Time on Tuesday, January 22, 2013. Three persons were injured by gunfire after two men, one a student, had an altercation on campus. Also shot was a bystander, a maintenance man. A woman in her mid-50s suffered from a medical condition during the fight. She was transported to the hospital where she was listed in stable condition.
The shooting took place in the center courtyard of the campus. When alerted shots had been fired, the school advised students to seek "shelter in place" in messages and on the college website. Officials also evacuated some of the students from buildings on campus.
The school has not experienced anything like this in its 40 year history. However, in light of the Sandy Hook massacre barely a month ago, the college had held three drills over the last week to prepare for emergencies such as this.
Steve Sanders, president of the Second Amendment Academy at Lone Star College, a student gun rights group, said he was unaware a gunman, or gunmen, had shot multiple people at his school. After hearing the news, Sanders said, That's annoying. What kind of asshole would have done that? I can't believe it happened at my school. Lone Star is supposed to be a gun-free school.
A check of the school's website gives no indication students are prohibited from carrying concealed handguns on campus. Sanders indicated he personally has a CHL - concealed handgun license - but he never carries his handgun on campus.
I think we can all agree a school being a gun-free zone does not mean it will remain such. Only those who go onto those campuses can control that.
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