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U.S. NEWS Monday 2 March 2020
West Virginia Univ. president responds after 2 shootings

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) each and every day to
— The president of West keep our campus as safe
Virginia University released as possible."
a letter Sunday emphasiz- Gee said the university will
ing the university's commit- look into additional mea-
ment to safety after two sures that can be taken to
recent shootings near the prevent such events from
Morgantown campus, one happening again.
of them involving a fatality. "The sad fact is our part of
WVU President Gordon the world is also beset with
Gee wrote to the com- all the ill — and good — of
munity that the campus of society at large," Gee said.
more than 26,000 students "We cannot stop bad things
is "concerned and un- from happening — but we
nerved" but that the shoot- can work to prevent them
ings on Friday and Satur- and be prepared for when
day "remain an aberration they do."
to our life here." This is a June 20, 2016, file photo showing West Virginia University Gee said he cares about
Two people were arrested president E. Gordon Gee in Morgantown, W.V. WVU students as if they
in Friday's shooting at a Associated Press were his own children, and
student housing apartment "I pledge to all Mountain-
complex and charged Early Saturday, two men West Virginia University is eers, both current and fu-
with first-degree murder. were arrested in an apart- no longer a safe campus," ture, that we will redouble
Neither was a student. The ment shooting that left one Gee said. "I want to reas- our efforts to ensure our
university identified the person injured. Morgan- sure everyone that our Uni- campus is the safest it can
victim as Eric James Smith, town police said the victim versity has a commitment possibly be."q
21, a sophomore majoring and another person had
in multidisciplinary stud- been invited to the apart-
ies from Clementon, New ment for a marijuana pur-
Jersey. Smith was a former chase that turned into a
resident of the apartment robbery attempt.
complex. "I realize it may feel that

N.H.-based bus company

stops warrantless

immigration checks

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — we take lightly. We have
Concord Coach Lines is understood the arguments
the latest company to an- for making this change, but
nounce it will no longer have worked to fully under-
allow immigration officers stand the implications that
onto buses unless they a change would have on
have a warrant. law enforcement's ability
The New Hampshire com- to prevent all forms of crim-
pany's decision on Friday inal behavior. We are con-
follows an announcement fident that this is the right
by Greyhound that it will thing to do," he said.
no longer allow warrant- The American Civil Liber-
less immigration checks on ties Union has been push-
its buses. The Associated ing for bus companies to
Press obtained a memo deny searches for fear that
from Customs and Border people of color or people
Protection that said agents with foreign accents will be
can't board private buses singled out.
without the consent of the "With this new policy, Con-
bus company. cord Coach is doing the
Concord Coach Lines Vice right thing and disallow-
President Benjamin Blunt ing Border Patrol from
said the company wanted conducting warrantless
to be sure it understood the searches of their passen-
policy implications before gers," SangYeob Kim, immi-
making a decision. Em- gration staff attorney at the
ployees are now equipped ACLU of New Hampshire.
with cards that will commu- The company operates
nicate the policy to Border from New Hampshire and
Patrol agents, he said. Maine, providing transpor-
"The safety of our passen- tation to Boston and New
gers is not something that York City.q