SALISBURY,Md- On Thursday, WBOC spoke with some Salisbury University students who said they were concerned about not getting timely alerts regarding Wednesday night's manhunt that ensued downtown shortly after 8 p.m.
Because the incident was unfolding so close to the university, the campus was put on lock down.
Students showed WBOC the alerts from the university that started coming in at 9:02 p.m. But some of the students said those alerts should have come sooner.
"If I had been out, that would have been really concerning because if I had happen to be nearby or something I'd have no idea that it's not safe," said Hannah Muller.
Muller said she was concerned because she remembers last fall's deadly shooting that happened near the campus on Onley Road.
Muller said she believes officials at that time also took too long before students were notified.
"I think they should be more on time with their emails," Muller said, "they should do it as soon as they find out, it should be instantaneous."
According to campus officials, the campus got its first alert from the Wicomico County Sheriffs Office at 8:51p.m.
Meanwhile, Salisbury Police Chief Barbara Duncan said that she got to the scene at 8:45 p.m. before she contacted campus Police Chief, Edwin Lashley around 9 p.m.
Some other students including Casey Calliguro confirmed they got their first alert via email at 9:02. Calliguro added that the time between the events unfolding and getting notifications was too long.
"We should be notified as soon as they know that someone is out there and could possibly endanger our safety," Calliguro said.
Chief Duncan told WBOC that she is comfortable with the speed of notifications she sent out to the campus.
In a statement to WBOC, Chief Lashley responded to our questions about student concerns by saying:
"When there is a potential threat to the campus, investigating agencies notify Salisbury University Police and an emergency alert is sent.When the initial incident occurred downtown, it was not considered a threat to the campus by local police authorities.
As the suspect approached SU, the Wicomico County Sheriff's Office notified University Police, and an emergency alert went out within 11 minutes of that notification.
The Emergency Alert System is not meant to serve as a general news source, but to inform the campus of potential emergencies and threats, and provide information on how to remain safe during those conditions. University Police locked down the campus as a precaution to a potential imminent threat.
In the Onley Road incident last fall, police immediately determined upon arrival that there was no continuing threat, as the shooter had taken his own life. The two incidences were very different."
