The Voice - Student Newspaper

Armed assault in GCC parking lot

By Brent Whiting
Editor-at-Large, The VOICE

Two students, a husband and wife, were robbed at gunpoint at Glendale Community College, a crime rarity on campus that serves as a sobering reminder of the need for security and personal safety, officials said.

The incident occurred the evening of March 31 when the victims, who escaped unharmed, were accosted by a lone gunman in the southwest parking lot, said Sgt. Jim Cunningham, a spokesman for the Glendale Police Department.

The bandit has not been arrested and the robbery remains under investigation by Glendale detectives, Cunningham said.

Campus security cameras captured a portion of the holdup and the campus Public Safety Department is working closely with Glendale police in attempting to solve the crime, said Debra Palok, the GCC public safety director.

"This incident serves as a reminder for all of us to be aware of our surroundings at all times and to immediately report any suspicious activity," Palok said in an April 1 memo to campus officials advising them of the crime.

Violent crimes are rare at both the GCC main and north campuses, according to online reports that are published by the Public Safety Department on the school's Web site. For example, the report shows that no robberies were reported at either campus in 2005, 2006 or 2007, the most recent years for which numbers are available.

"Our focus is always the safety of our students and staff," said Patricia Rhodes Vogel, director of institutional advancement at GCC. "Given our size, we are a very safe college campus."

More than 30,000 students a year attend classes at the sprawling 184-acre GCC campus, Vogel said.

Safety issues in the Maricopa County Community College District sadly boiled over last year when a lone gunman opened fire in a computer laboratory at South Mountain Community College, wounding three students, according to Phoenix police.

At least 12 other people were in the computer lab when the gunfire erupted July 24, but they were able to escape without harm, police said. The gunman is believed to have gone to the school to pick a fight with a 19-year-old man, police said.

A suspect, Rodney Eugene Smith Jr., 23, a former student at South Mountain, was arrested and charged with multiple counts of aggravated assault and endangerment. He is scheduled to stand trial May 18 in Maricopa County Superior Court.

For students, faculty and staff at GCC, the Public Safety Department offers an escort service to accompany people to on-campus vehicles or classrooms.

In addition, the department has issued a tri-fold color pamphlet the offers a number of tips for vehicle, building and personal safety.

The pamphlet suggests, among other things, that students should try to walk with other people, be aware of their surroundings and possible hiding places and to avoid taking shortcuts and walking in dark and secluded areas.

In addition, students should hold a purse or backpack close to their bodies and always keep them closed and zipped.

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