There poses the first issue. Because students have made Charleston their home, it is hard to keep in mind that at the end of the day, Charleston is still a city. And because it is a city, city-like activity will take place.
The two most recent incidents that have occurred, and that helped spark my desire for this topic, deal with West Ashley and Burns Lane downtown near C of C's campus.
Charleston County Sheriff’s Deputy Joseph Matuskovic, was shot and killed Monday Sept. 8 by a man who was causing disruption in the Gardens at Ashley River apartment complex. To me, this was just another awful situation that lands West Ashley above the fold on our newspapers in the morning. But it was one that gained so much attention and frightened me for students I know who live off the peninsula. This made me want to find out more about how students felt living in places that are notorious for making the headlines. Do we have the wrong impression about these communities because of the news?
The other recent incident was an armed robbery on Burns Lane.
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| Email sent out to students and staff regarding the incident on Burns Lane |
The reason this story caught my attention was for two reasons. One: the time of day the incident occurred. Two: the location where it occurred. It was only 9:25pm when a man was confronted and was demanded to pull out his wallet while being threatened with a firearm. At 9:25 p.m., athletes are still in study hall at TD Arena, only steps from this popular alley they use to travel home at night. At 9:25 p.m., Burns Alley bar is just getting filled with people coming to mingle. This incident was taken very seriously in the athletics department and I thought it would be interesting to get a point of view from the student-athletes, as well as administration, and see how this incident might have changed their route home.
Below are the interviews from the subjects I found to have the best insight on these situations and how it pertains to them personally while also affecting the ones around them.
Tierney Driscoll
Sailing Team
Student-Athlete
Year: Senior
Major: Political Science
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| Tierney Driscoll |
Question Posed: How do you view the situation regarding the
recent occurrences of crime, both on and off campus? In special regards to the
incident on Burns Alley and the fact that you live on the outskirts of the
peninsula, what kind of impact has the recent and ongoing crime had on you?
Response: “Not
enough attention is being paid towards it. It’s pretty dramatic for someone to
approach anybody so close to campus buildings, not even late at night, with
tons of people constantly around. For someone to have the audacity to do so, in
such proximity to where we study and workout, is pretty frightening.
"Coming from someone who lives pretty far north on the
peninsula, it is dangerous to do some of the things people might do on campus
late at night—even just going outside. It can be dangerous and I have to factor
that into what I’m doing, how I’m getting to and from school and what time I’m
doing that. Having this incident (Burns Alley robbery) happen so close to
campus and where we work and study, definitely added to that increase in, not
necessarily fear but, ‘alright now I have to be a little more cautious. Now I
have to focus a little bit more on that small part of my day.’ Just to make
sure nothing bad happens cause things can happen whenever.”
Questions Posed: You said that you changed your mindset, have you physically changed any
routes that you go?
Response: “I
definitely have avoided Burns Alley as much as possible, that whole area. It’s
just that it’s so dark and there are not that many people. There are people
nearby, but it’s not necessarily like they are there and present at the moment.
I pretty much avoid that route entirely and stick to the bigger streets such as
King and George.”
Danielle Rackley
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| Danielle Rackley |
Year: Senior
Major: International Studies
Questions Posed: Given the recent occurrences with unsafe situations in Charleston, can you give me a sense on how you feel living on King Street, the always populated heart of Downtown?
Response: "I feel extremely safe because of the location on King Street that I live on. Not to sound stereotypical or biased, but I feel much safer living in the middle of King than I used to when I lived more near the bar scene. I used to live on campus in an upperclassmen dorm called Warren. While I felt safe on that end of King, there is a lot more nightlife, constant noise at night, and just more people. Living there, I felt a bit more cautious walking home alone at night. I also felt a bit unsafe walking on the less busy streets on that area of King Street.
"It is unfortunate that there is such on-going crime in Charleston, but I feel that on King, it is always populated. I have never been the only person on King street, even at 5am leaving to go to the airport or at 2am coming home from a bar. I have felt unsafe in Charleston, on streets near where some of my friends live: Bogard St., Hanover St., or Meeting St., near the highway. I felt more unsafe in those locations at 5pm than I ever have on King St. at any hour of the day.
"In terms of how I feel about the crime in Charleston, I feel un-safe on certain streets, I feel more unsafe on an abandoned street than a populated one. Also, needless to say I feel more unsafe at night than during the day.
"I love living on King and I consider a privilege to live somewhere so safe and conveniently located near almost everything in this town."
Chris Horschel
Director of Sports
Medicine
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| Chris Horschel |
Question Posed: In light of the Burns Alley incident, I
noticed you posted the Community Notification email outside the door to the
training room. I was hoping to get your insight to what made you do that and
what advice do you have to the athletes?
“The reason we put the notice up there was two-fold. One
administration wanted it to be posted around the athletic department and second
because I have staff that is young and I care about them as well as our
students. And I know we are all here late at times and it was more of a warning
and a notification that there are issues back there. It’s not the most well
patrolled or lighted area or lighted. So I wanted to make sure my staff and our
athletes were informed of things before they walked blindly into a situation.
“When we received the email, I discussed it with my boss and
she said suggested posting it around the arena. And I also told my staff that
after its dark I prefer them not even to go back there [Burns Alley]. I prefer
them to go on George Street or Meeting Street and clearly stay out of that if
they are going to be by themselves. And we have said the same thing to the
athletes as well.”
Question Posed: Along with walking in pairs and avoiding
Burns Alley entirely, are there any other suggestions you would give to
athletes?
Response: “Campus
Police have a service that, if you are here [TD Arena] late, and you are by
yourself—male or female—you can call them and they will come give you an escort
for safety. We would rather be cautious than have an issue present itself.”
Kate Tiller
Learning Specialist,
Academic Services
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| Kate Tiller |
Question Posed: I was hoping you could provide me with a
brief over-view on what your feelings are regarding campus safety and the
safety of the student-athletes, especially with Burns Alley being right outside
of study hall.
Response: “It’s
definitely scary to know that it happens [crime] this closely, and at that time
of night, given that we do stay open until 10:00pm here [TD Arena Study Hall].
“I have lived in Charleston for 11 years and it has always
been a city. Sometimes that is easy to forget because we get really comfortable
here and it’s home. I think just remembering that it is a city and focusing on
the things that we know we should be doing, that sometimes we don’t do. One of
the biggest ‘no-no’s’ is staying on your phone. People think that being on
their phone makes them safer but it actually doesn’t because you are
distracted. I think it is really important to not forget that we are in a city
and that we have to be aware of our surroundings even though we love it and we
feel safe because it’s home."
Question Posed: Have you had any students come up to you asking
for safety advice or if they would, what would you say?
Response: “I
haven’t had any student-athletes ask me about it. Obviously from an
administrative standpoint we have talked about it. Our AD’s have asked us ‘what
are you doing to keep people safe?’ The different areas here—the director of
academics, sports medicine, and sports performance—are all concerned about it.
I just think awareness, making sure our student-athletes are aware that is
something that could happen, is really important. Reminding them not to come to
study hall at night alone or leave alone. Making sure that our student-athletes
are aware of the services that are available on campus if they don’t feel safe
walking—calling public safety. It’s not a free ride! They aren’t a taxi
service! But they will certainly meet you and walk you."
Comments on Public
Safety: "We are in the middle of
campus safety month right now. Public safety offers some great programming,
along with victim services and the different departments on campus. With things
such as the self-defense class, there are plenty of ways to learn about
prevention, learn about what you would do if you were in that situation and I
think our student-athletes should all take advantage of those."
Amber Williamson
Year: Junior
Major: Psychology
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| Amber Wiliamson |
Question Posed: I am interested to hear your standpoint and
feelings regarding on living off the peninsula. Do we get the wrong impression
about the towns of North Charleston and West Ashley because they are constantly
making the headlines for crime?
Response: “When it
comes to living off the peninsula, it doesn’t bother me at all. I actually feel
safer going to North Charleston and being in my neighborhood than I do
downtown. Mostly because walking downtown you never know who you’re going to
encounter.
"I live in an apartment complex in North Charleston. I know
my neighbors. I can walk outside and everybody knows me. Literally it’s, ‘Hey!
How are you?’ Its friendly whereas opposed to riding downtown, I feel like I
have to lock my doors. Or I have to check my surroundings, look for people, I
need to carry my mace at all times. But when I’m home, it’s just like I’m
home.
"But it goes to say, yes North Charleston & West Ashley
make the headlines but there are good parts to North Charleston and bad parts
of North Charleston. Just like there are good parts to Downtown and there are
bad parts to Downtown."
Question Posed: Is there anything you do specifically when
you are going/coming to and from Downtown and North Charleston?
Response: "Besides
making sure my doors are locked in bad locations, not really. I always check my
surroundings. I always look out and check my mirrors and make sure I’m not
being followed because I’m that ‘paranoid person’ because I have been followed
before. I’ve been taught situational awareness: any situation I am in, I have to
be aware of what is going on around me."
Justin “JJ” Johnson
Year: Junior
Major: Physical Education
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| Justin Johnson |
Response: "Usually
what I tell my friends is to make sure you are aware of your surroundings. I
try to walk them to and from destinations if it is too late at night. I go with
them to make sure nothing happens. Because I have seen and heard things happen
in my old neighborhood that I don’t want to happen to them so I always try to
make sure they are safe. Even myself, I don’t’ go out to certain areas after a
certain time during the night. I really do safety is the most important thing."
While we call Charleston our home, we have to remember that it is a city. So when you are walking home, stop and make sure you have taken the correct measures to stay safe. Walk with a friend, call public safety, and be alert in the city we call home!
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