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Reporting on the state of education in your community and across the country.

Case Western Increasing Police Patrols After Student Shot In Murray Hill

Case Western Reserve University President Barbara Snyder addresses safety concerns during a Facebook Live Sunday night [Facebook Live screenshot]
Case Western Reserve University President Barbara Snyder

A Case Western Reserve University student shot Saturday night is in stable condition. Police have arrested two suspects.

CWRU police and University Circle police say they are increasing nighttime patrols.  

During a Facebook Live on Sunday evening in which university officials responded to previously submitted questions, CWRU president Barbara Snyder said the university will work with students, faculty and the community to address ways to increase safety measures on campus.

“Long term we need to think about the right number of patrols and the way we can best protect all of our campus,” Snyder said.

The incident took place about 8:05 pm on Murray Hill Rd in the Little Italy neighborhood. The student, a junior, was shot in the torso. Police are unsure of the motive but believe it may have been a carjacking.

University Circle Police Chief Jim Repicky says after the 911 call, officers located two possible suspects on Mayfield Rd. Police arrested one person around E. 123 rd St.

Another suspect, found hiding in a culvert behind the police station garage at E. 119 th St, exchanged fire with officers before he was arrested, according to Chief Repicky. None of the officers were hit.

As of Sunday afternoon, the suspect was in critical condition at University Hospitals, according to a UH official.

The Cleveland police department is investigating the incident.

On Facebook, Campus Police Chief Jay Hodge addressed a concern about the time it took the university to alert the campus community. Case tweeted a notice about 40 minutes following the 911 call that a student had been shot and suspects had been arrested.

Hodge said tending to the injured student and getting a description of the attackers was their top priority.

“Having said that and keeping that in mind, yes, we could have sent an alert out just to tell everyone to stay away from the area,” said Hodge. “We’re going to review, go back, look at how we’re doing this and in the future find better ways to put out an alert at a more faster rate.”

President Snyder also addressed a proposal to allow students to carry guns on campus. Snyder pointed to a 2016 Johns Hopkins University study which concluded “campus carry” would lead to more violence.

“Campuses that allowed guns actually had more gun violence, not less. They had more shootings, more homicides and more suicides than campuses that do not allow guns,” said Snyder. “So it’s something that we can continue to discuss but the research that is available and we think the best research shows that the campus is safer by prohibiting guns than by allowing them.”

To improve safety surrounding the campus, Snyder said the university is working with the city, University Circle, and private property owners to improve lighting around the neighborhood.

The university will also consider adding more vehicles to the school’s Safe Ride program which operates between 7 pm and 3 am. Chief Hodge said there are currently four drivers who try to respond to ride calls within 15 minutes. The university says it has increased Safe Ride availability in recent years.

Annie Wu is the deputy editor of digital content for Ideastream Public Media.