Classes at California State University, Fullerton resumed today after police locked down the school for eight hours as they searched the campus for an armed-robbery suspect thought to have hidden there.
The suspect, who remains at large, evaded police last night after allegedly robbing a Moreno Valley jewelry store with four accomplices. After they purportedly shot a jewelry store employee, the five suspects led police on a car chase that spanned four counties before stopping at Cal State Fullerton. After four suspects jumped out of the car, one continued driving, but eventually surrendered when he inadvertently ran into dozens of Los Angeles Police Department officers, including Chief Charlie Beck, at a charity function in Watts.
Cal State sent text messages to students notifying them of the school lockdown while emergency alarms also sounded on campus. A contingent of Fullerton police remain at the Cal State campus as a safety precaution, but authorities do not believe the suspect is still on the premises. Two of the five suspects are still on the run.
How effective and realistic is the objective of locking down a public college campus? How helpful is text messaging for communicating with students in an emergency situation?
Guests:
Commander Andrew Smith, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)
David Hood, news editor for the Daily Titan, print journalism major at California State University, Fullerton