By Kalena Reynolds | Opinion Editor
Baylor’s campus was put on lockdown at 11:50 a.m. on Thursday due to a shelter-in-place alert following a threat on campus. Most students were notified about the lockdown, but multiple students reported not receiving the message, and Line Camp attendees did not have access to their phones.
Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers attempted to conduct a traffic stop for a traffic violation south of Waco when the driver failed to stop and fled until reaching the Baylor campus, according to a press release from BaylorNewsFlash. The driver and two passengers exited the vehicle upon reaching campus and fled on foot. It was unknown if the suspects were armed at the time, prompting the campus-wide emergency alert.
Waco sophomore Zach Henry said he was walking from lunch at Penland Dining Hall when he noticed a helicopter circling over campus.
“I was walking by the SUB, I turned around, and they appeared out of thin air, honestly,” Henry said. “They were detaining a suspect, and they took him down to the ground, handcuffed him and took him over to the vehicle. And then, at that point, I call my friend because I’m like, ‘Oh, wow, that’s really weird.’ And the alert hadn’t gone out yet at that point, so I really had no idea what was going on.”
Henry said that shortly after he witnessed the suspect in handcuffs, he saw the alert Baylor sent out and was able to gain more clarity on the nature of the situation. On the spur of the moment, Henry said the lockdown was well-organized, and staff were helping to direct people to where they needed to go.
“[There were] a lot of summer campers from Line Camp and these other various Baylor programs for high schoolers, mostly,” Henry said. “But I was on campus, there were a few other students, and then some professors, here and there. It was mostly high school students and groundskeeper staff, so it wasn’t panicked or anything.”
While Baylor attempted to inform students with one emergency alert text, incoming students participating in Baylor Line Camp were unable to acquire information because their phones were taken upon the start of the camp.
Baylor spokesperson Lori Fogleman said that even though line camp attendees did not have their phones, the camp leaders did and were able to take students to a safe place while the campus remained under lockdown. They also offered their phones to students to allow them to communicate with their parents.
“Students attending Baylor Line Camp were secured and safe in a locked campus facility throughout the incident as law enforcement responded and when the all-clear was issued,” Fogleman said. “The New Student Programs staff provided updates for students following the incident and space to discuss with students as they may need. The priority throughout the incident was the safety of students and staff.”
According to Fogleman, New Student Programs and Division of Student Life regularly assess the policy of disallowing camp attendees access to their phones and other technology. Fogleman said that they believe the opportunity to foster relationships and community is hindered by the “potential distraction of phones.”
“Line Campers remain in close connection with their group leaders – who do have phones – throughout camp, and leaders are in regular communication with University staff,” Fogleman said. “Audible alerts on campus also provide notice of alerts to individuals across campus, as was the case with the activations of the outdoor warning system.”
While most students were away for the summer, student workers, summer class attendees and faculty and staff members remained on campus.
Everett, Wash., junior McKenzie Webb was working in a lab on campus when she received the emergency alert and immediately texted one of her friends to ask if she had also received the message.
“I assumed it was a prank or something along those lines because I did not hear sirens,” Webb said. “The building is usually pretty empty. … There were two people in the hall when I exited the bathroom, directing people to the physics office.”
Webb said she received the emergency alert at 12:11 p.m. but was not provided further information until 12:42 p.m. and had “no idea what was happening.”
“I was very nervous because the threat of violence is never zero,” Webb said. “We began to scour Facebook and text people to find out what was happening; I was feeling much safer once I heard, via word of mouth, that the incident was not as dire as an active shooter.”
Puyallup, Wash., senior Jansyn Pihl was also working in a lab on campus. She didn’t initially hear the sirens because she had headphones on, but eventually saw the alert on her phone.
“There were police cars driving by, but we did not see any helicopters,” Pihl said. “We were not seated by a window (following the sheltering suggestion), so we did not see much of the campus during this time.”
Webb said she wished Baylor had provided updates and more clarity on the situation while it was happening, as officials left the majority of people on campus in the dark.
Austin senior Will Heron said he never received the alert and knew multiple other people who also didn’t.
“I think all those involved could have been working to provide active updates while 30 minutes passed; there were people unaware and probably still are,” Webb said. “I am scared for people who did not get [the Baylor Emergency Alert] text and for those who assumed it was happening on a different part of campus in those 30 minutes.”
