Indiana University reevaluates practices after deadly shooting at Michigan State

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana University Police Department leaders say they’re evaluating practices to ensure the safety of students after a shooting at Michigan State University left three students dead.

Bloomington Division Chief Jill Lees told News 8 on Tuesday, “IUPD is very prepared for these types of incidents, and also our campus safety is our top priority.”

The IU police department oversees security on nine Indiana University campuses, including Bloomington and Indianapolis. The department is accredited, and its officers patrol by car and foot.

Self-defense classes are offered for student clubs, residence halls, and fraternities and sororities.

The university police also offer the nationally recognized program called “Run Hide and Fight.” It’s designed to show anyone who’s in a building with a mass shooter how to survive.

Lees said, “The ‘Run, Hide, Fight’ model teaches, you know, to run, to shelter in place, and, at all costs if there is no other options left, to fight, to use anything you can to escape that situation to disarm the gunman.”

Some students say finding time to take self-defense classes is difficult. IUPUI Sophomore Ava Armstrong told News 8, “You have the availability to take those classes, you can, but to be fair certain resources, like money, time, that’s not always available.”

Although IUPUI is an open campus, some buildings are limited to only students and staff. Armstrong says she worries that layer of security may not be enough to thwart an intruder. “We’re all given CrimsonCards (identification cards), so I think if they could find a way to work with that technologically, but that doesn’t guarantee that someone can help another person get into the campus.”

IU police note that weapons of any kind, including guns and knives, are not permitted on campus.