Police provided a photo of Jason Michael Hamilton, the suspect in the NOVA Woodbridge shootings.

Northern Virginia Community College students probably won’t see metal detectors installed anytime soon, but college officials are re-assessing security following a December shooting at the Woodbridge campus.

The college recently launched its Presidential Commission on Safety and Security and gave it until April 30 to review the adequacy of emergency resources put in place following the 2007 Virginia Tech massacre—the worst school shooting in the nation’s history.

“When your mind is focused like this, because of [the shootings], you’ve got that opportunity for not just a routine assessment, but one that’s really motivated by saying ‘look, that can’t happen here [NVCC], but it did happen here [NVCC],'” said college Vice President John Dever. “While looking at what did we do well—and there are many things that we did well—we’ll ask: “Are there any things that we should improve?’ ”

Police said that on Dec. 8, Dale City resident Jason Hamilton, 20, walked into a math class at the Woodbridge campus and managed to fire two round from a high-powered rifle at his professor before the gun jammed. The teacher hid behind a desk and no one was hurt.

Hamilton then placed the gun on the floor and was taken into custody by campus police. He’s now in jail on an attempted murder charge. A court date is set for March 15.

Investigators said Hamilton was unhappy with the professor and had low marks in the course. When shots rang out, students and teachers hid in classrooms behind locked doors as friends and family waited anxiously outside for police to secure the scene.

When the spring semester began last month at Woodbridge, students said professors talked briefly about the shootings, discussed safety procedures and urged students to report suspicious behavior.

“Some sarcastically said, ‘If you don’t like me or the way I teach, then please come and tell me,’ ” said 20-year-old student, Kelsea Williams.

Other Woodbridge campus students said professors are locking doors at the start of classes, something they are allowed to do following the shootings, Dever said.

After the Virginia Tech shootings, NVCC invested in technology that allows officials to send text messages and e-mails to students and staff.

The school also created offices of Emergency Planning and of Student Mental Health and Behavior. Dever said the emergency planning staff was key in teaching college officials how to manage emergency situations. After the December shootings, the staff injected clarity into a sea of confusion, keeping staff and students informed, he said.

In addition to armed gunman, or “active shooter” situations, Dever’s board of 22 members—made up of professors, department heads and the Woodbridge campus student body president—will also make sure the college is prepared to handle problems that could arise from severe weather, hazardous materials situations and any other public health or safety issues.

When finished, Dever said, the board’s recommendations should not change the overall feel of the campuses.

“We want very much to preserve the traditional setting and the openness of our campus communities, and for instance, I don’t expect metal detectors to be one of the recommendations that emerge. There are many ways to come onto our campus and into our buildings and into our classes, that is the way a collegiate institution is set up,” said Dever.

Thomas Blot, an IT student, said he’s noticed an increased security presence, but said he still feels safe on campus. “Just because one terrible thing happens doesn’t mean that this college is not a safe place,” he said.

This article by Uriah Kiser first appeared in the News and Messenger on Feb. 25.

By: Uriah Kiser

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