Dear Spring Hill College Family,

One of the things we value most here at Spring Hill is our small, close-knit campus community. We are fortunate to be located in a neighborhood that is family friendly, welcoming, and relatively crime free. Our campus has always been open for others to share the beauty we are fortunate enough to experience every day. 

REVIEW OF THE INCIDENT:

On Tuesday, November 29, at approximately 6:15 pm, an unknown male entered Mobile Hall through the front door that had been propped open. He encountered a student in the lobby, where he pointed a handgun and demanded the student’s wallet. As the perpetrator was preparing to leave, he returned and demanded the student’s cell phone as well. The student was not physically harmed, and the suspect did not engage anyone else. 

HERE IS WHAT WE KNOW:

Surely, many of you have questions and concerns. Here is the information we have to date:

• The suspect was described as a black male wearing a black hoodie with a white logo on the front left and black pants. As far as we know, he is not a student at Spring Hill. 

• This appears to be a random act with no evidence of any type of prior knowledge or relationship between the perpetrator and the victim. 

• We are working with the Mobile Police Department to gather additional information that may be used to identify the suspect.

• We have asked anyone with information about this incident to contact Public Safety at (251) 380-3444.

The rate of crime on our campus is very low compared to other campuses, and even some of our local schools. Still, it is important to stay vigilant at all times.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS TO KEEP IN MIND:

This is a good time to review some standing safety precautions we should continuously keep in mind.

1. Mobile Hall has a redundant security system for the exterior doors. The key card system was inactive and has now been repaired. The building remained secure at all times, however, as students’ individual room keys also open the front exterior doors of Mobile Hall.

2. Students in Mobile Hall have been informed multiple times that their room keys open the exterior front doors. The exterior rear door is to be used only as an exit. There is no reason whatsoever for doors to be propped open. Students have been sent multiple emails reminding them to please use their keys and NOT to prop the doors open. They received multiple email reminders about this—including one sent at 2:00 pm the very afternoon of the incident.

3. Students, faculty, and staff should ensure their car doors are locked and valuables are secured and not in plain sight.

4. If you see something on campus that looks suspicious or unusual, please contact Public Safety at 251-380-4444. 

5. Remember to use the buddy system, especially when walking around campus in the evening or after hours.

MOVING FORWARD:

1. Look for increased Public Safety patrols on campus.

2. Effective immediately, the campus will be locked down by 8:00 pm daily. This means the Dauphin Street gate will be closed. The only entrance after 8:00 pm will be through Old Shell Road, and visitors will have to check in at the guard shack before gaining entrance onto campus.

3. We are securing quotes from security companies to install and upgrade security cameras in the residence halls as part of the Campus Program grant through the Department of Justice.  

4. We want you to know we are here to provide support in any way we can. Our Wellness Center is available for counseling services for those who need it. If you would like to schedule an appointment to process these events, please reach out via email at counseling@shc.edu or call (251) 380-2271.

We are in the midst of the holiday season, and that combined with finals, grades, and preparing to move home can be overwhelming. But if we join together, we can enjoy the rest of our short time on campus, and return restored and ready for a productive spring semester. While we continue to let law enforcement take the lead, we cannot forget the force of love and the power of prayer. We are reminded of St. Ignatius’ powerful words: “Act as if everything depended on you; trust as if everything depended on God.”