Listen to “No campus shutdown after shell casing found at RI College” on Spreaker.
By Steve Klamkin WPRO News
Providence police and college security officials at Rhode Island College chose not to shut down the campus Thursday after a shell casing was found in a parking lot, unlike an incident the day before, when the discovery of a shell casing prompted the evacuation of the Community College of Rhode Island Warwick campus, as federal agencies have joined the probe to determine if there are any connections.
Police Chief Hugh Clements said it was because the casing was found outdoors in a parking lot that the campus was not shuttered.
“Correct, correct. We weighed all the circumstances, we spoke at length. There was no need to shut down the campus,” Clements said.
“We’ll follow up in the investigation and see if there’s any connection the casing found yesterday at CCRI.”
In a statement, Rhode Island College President Frank Sanchez said that there was no immediate threat to the campus community, no reports of shots fired, nor any threats called into the campus.
Sanchez said that the college would work with both Providence and North Providence Police Departments to increase patrols around the campus. He urged members of the campus community to remain vigilant, and to contact campus police, adding, “see something, say something.”
Last Friday, a live, .45 caliber bullet was found on a school bus in Burrillville, which had just dropped off students at the town’s middle and high schools, prompting a lockdown and extensive search and interviews with students at both schools. Police in the town found no gun connected to the live round.
“With three occurrences in a short period of time, absolutely it elevates our concern,” said Colonel James Manni, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police.
“The three police departments, and the state police and the FBI are all working together with the Joint Terrorism Task Force to determine if they are connected,” Manni said.
“To determine is someone trying to see our response time is, or, like I said, is it a hoax? So, we have the resources to be working on it and hopefully we can resolve it in a short period of time,” Manni said.
“In light of what’s been going on in this country the past several months and years, and most recently North Carolina and the synagogue shooting, yes, we are at an elevated state of awareness,” said Manni.
“It’s a real tense and volatile time, it would not shock us to see more (such incidents),” said Chief Clements. “And we’re prepared for it.”
Manni also spoke about the situation with WPRO’s Matt Allen. Listen to that conversation below:
