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Posted by: girlcop21

Two UMass Dartmouth students cited for possessing guns on campus

var isoPubDate = 'November 28, 2007'November 28, 2007 6:00 AM

DARTMOUTH — Two University of Massachusetts Dartmouth students have been summonsed to court in separate incidents for allegedly possessing firearms on campus: a disassembled 9 mm handgun and a military-style assault rifle.

According to UMass Dartmouth officials, both students are legal gun owners, but they face university sanctions, including possible suspensions, for possessing firearms on campus, which is illegal in Massachusetts.

One student, Matthew W. Mauger, 22, had the disassembled 9 mm handgun, a BB gun and a wooden replica firearm inside his dormitory room in the Hickory Hall residence, university officials said. Campus police searching Mr. Mauger's room Nov. 9 also found empty shell casings, targets, ear plugs and safety glasses. No live ammunition was recovered.

In an unrelated incident Nov. 22, campus police found an AR15 — an M-16-like assault rifle — inside the trunk of a student's car parked on campus. The firearm had a trigger lock and was not loaded. The student, Eric J. Bowlin, 22, had reported the car stolen the previous day, and told police he had left the rifle inside the trunk, UMass Dartmouth spokesman John Hoey said.
Both students produced valid Class A licenses to carry firearms. However, guns are prohibited on college campuses under state law.

The students were not arrested but were ordered to appear in New Bedford District Court for magistrate hearings.

"These students involved either knew or should have known of both the state laws and the university's policy on these issues," Mr. Hoey said.

"Just because you have the license to carry a firearm, that doesn't mean you can carry one on a college campus."

UMass Dartmouth officials did not send out a mass e-mail to inform students about the firearms on campus, because officials did not perceive a public safety threat, Mr. Hoey said.

"In both cases, the police readily seized the firearms," he said. "You have to be careful from a communications perspective. You don't want to flood the campus with too many messages."

However, UMass Dartmouth senior Allison Reitz, 22, said it would have been a good thing to notify the thousands of students who live on campus that guns were recently confiscated.

"I can understand the administration doesn't want students to panic by sending out, 'Hey we found these weapons,'" Ms. Reitz said.

"But for thousands of students, the campus is their home. This is where they live. It's important for them to know what's going on in their community— just as much as it is for anyone to know if their neighbor is arrested for having an assault rifle in their home."

Mr. Hoey said the university was preparing to send out a public notice after receiving several inquiries from students who had heard about a gun being found in the dorms. Some rumors had the gun being loaded.

Mr. Hoey sent out a press release Tuesday after receiving a phone call from The Standard-Times. The newspaper was notified by an e-mail from a student who wished to remain anonymous. Three phone messages were left with the university's Department of Public Safety on Monday and Tuesday seeking information.

Mr. Hoey said the campus' police department was ready to issue a statement.

"We were actually preparing a note to the campus community to make people aware of not just the facts, but also to set the record straight," he said.

"Our practice is we send out campus-wide public safety alerts when there is a concern about safety and when we believe there is a threat to the public."

According to court records, UMass Dartmouth police responded Nov. 9 to an early-morning disturbance in Mr. Mauger's third-floor Hickory Hall dormitory room. Police arriving at 2:18 a.m. reported seeing two other male students arguing and shoving each other. Police also reported seeing a broken chair, an overturned table and numerous posters torn off the walls.

Mr. Mauger's roommate, Robert Morel, 22, was arrested and charged with vandalizing property. He was arraigned in district court and temporarily suspended from the university, court records said.

The campus police officers searched the dorm room after a student said there was a gun in the room. Mr. Mauger admitted he had a gun and gave the officers permission to search, Mr. Hoey said.

Mr. Mauger, an East Bridgewater native, and Mr. Bowlin of Dudley were issued summonses to face charges of carrying a firearm on campus and improper storage of a firearm.

Mr. Hoey said both students are also subject to university sanctions. Asked if they had been suspended, Mr. Hoey said he could not comment on internal student judiciary matters.

Contact Brian Fraga at bfraga@s-t.com

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Posted by: Wolfman

I think this is a re-post but anyhow...

Oh noes! Look out for the scary disassembled gun!

Quote:

Both students produced valid Class A licenses to carry firearms.

The witch hunt continues...

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Posted by: SPINMASS

Lets create Mass Hysteria on campus by sending out an e-mail alert about guns being found on campus, even though their was no percieved public safety threat.

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Posted by: pahapoika

so no one can have a firearm on campus, including most of the campus police ?

i personally did not know students couldn't keep a gun even if they were properly licensed. although that fact is not lost on these madmen looking to kill innocent people.

typical liberal thinking , if we say no guns, no one will bring one to school

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