Lone Star College Communicates Stabbings
/At least 14 students were stabbed on the Lone Star Community College campus near Houston, TX. One student critically injured two others, as he ran to different buildings, stabbing people with an Exacto knife. When the suspect, known only as "James," was tackled, he said, "I give up. I give up."
The college posted an emergency alert on its website, and the school went into lock-down, with students held in classrooms until more information was known.
The college told students, "Stay away from the area. Seek shelter in a secure location until the incident is resolved." This is sound advice and reminds us of Virginia Tech's emails during the 2007 shootings-although some of those messages came too late.
Discussion Starters:
- Assess the college's emergency web page. What works well, and what could be improved?
- What additional communications would you recommend that the college send to students, faculty and staff, alumni, and parents? What medium should be used for each group?
