Still aching from the death of a student in the fall, the Catawba College community reeled again Saturday after a student was shot and killed outside a party.
Catawba College linebacker Darris Morris, 21, died at Rowan Regional Medical Center after being shot in the chest after a party Friday night outside Pine Knot Dorm.
Morris’ death comes just three months after a fire at the Foil House dorm killed student Stephen Andrew Grooms.
“I don’t know why Catawba’s number is up,” said Tonia Black-Gold, the school’s chief communications officer.
“Bad things happen to other institutions. Catawba is as safe as any other campus.”
With two dead in less than three months at the 1,300-student campus, parents of Catawba students are getting more uneasy and voicing concerns for their children’s safety.
But Catawba officials say they already were re-evaluating the campus security system.
Black-Gold said Saturday morning that the college has already received a lot of calls from concerned parents, wanting to know what has happened and if their students are safe.
“We tell them that despite our best efforts, things still happen,” Black-Gold said.
Alcohol has been connected to both students’ deaths.
After Grooms died Oct. 28 in the dorm fire, Salisbury Police said students in the dorm were drinking that night. Grooms’ dorm was supposed to be one of the college’s “substance free” residence halls.
Salisbury Police Deputy Chief Mark Wilhelm said alcohol was involved in the shooting Friday. Though they did not search the dorm where the party occurred, officers detected the odor of alcohol on students they interviewed.
Grooms’ father, Andy, said that people need to be realistic about college students’ drinking.
“If they’re going to have a substance policy, they need to have people on duty to police that,” he said. “Where were the RAs on duty” both nights the students died, he asked.
“The question becomes what is the responsibility of the college to ensure the safety of young men and women? Catawba was asleep at the switch here,” Grooms said. “Tragedy is once again because of lack of security.”
Black-Gold said the college tries very hard to assure students’ safety, but “students have to take some responsibility for their own safety.” She noted that the school does allow visitors on campus and that students need to be responsible when inviting visitors on campus.
Black-Gold said it is too early to say whether Morris’ death will prompt a change in policies about visitors.
Demetrius Phipps Sr., whose son was one of the wounded Catawba students, said Saturday: “Something needs to be investigated. I’m quite sure alcohol was involved in a case like this.”
Phipps said the school needs to crack down on the drinking on campus.
Phipps got the call all parents dread late Friday night; his son had been shot and was at the hospital.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” the elder Phipps said. Phipps and his wife immediately drove here from their Newport News, Va., home.
The couple had planned to drive to Salisbury later Saturday to see their son play for Catawba’s basketball team against Carson Newman. Officials postponed the game after Friday’s shooting.
Grooms’ wife, Eileen, learned of Friday’s shooting in a phone call Saturday afternoon from the mother of her late son’s roommate.
“My heart certainly goes out to the parents of the young man who was killed,” said Andy Grooms.
After Grooms’ death, Catawba President Fred Corriher Jr. immediately declared a new policy that requires college staff to report any fire, no matter how minor, found on the campus to the Salisbury Fire Department.
After the fatal fire, college officials also began reviewing campus security. Black-Gold said officials were discussing different options such as campus security versus a campus police force or utilizing city police.
Black-Gold said no final decision has been made. They are in the “hunting and gathering process,” Black-Gold said.
In the meantime, local law enforcement has stepped up to help both institutions. The Salisbury Police Department and Rowan County Sheriff’s Department are assisting both campuses with increased patrols for the foreseeable future.
“I think everybody is trying to help us out and we very much appreciate that,” Black-Gold said.
She commended the Salisbury Police Department for its quick work, arresting six suspects within hours.
“I think that has given our campus community peace of mind that the suspects are not at large,” Black-Gold said.
Detectives Shelia Lingle and Mike Colvin, the Police Department’s lead investigators in the shooting, agreed that Catawba is a safe campus.
But Friday night’s tragedy gave students pause.
“It’s a question mark in the back of you mind,” said Catawba freshman Robert Owens, who witnessed the shootings.
Owens is a forward on Catawba’s basketball team and a teammate of Demetrius Phipps, a sophomore shooting guard who was shot in the right hand and leg.
Phipps said students feel uneasy but probably don’t believe something could happen to them.
Black-Gold said administrators are focusing on communicating with students and parents, personally and by telephone and e-mail.
Catawba officials are encouraging parents to visit the Web site www.catawba.edu, where they are updating information as they obtain it.
Catawba College officials reached out to students throughout the weekend, offering counseling and support.
“No words can describe the unthinkable tragedy that has struck our campus community. The senseless violence that has taken the life of one of our own cannot be explained or excused,” Corriher said in a statement released by Catawba. “I am proud of the manner in which our staff, and especially our students, responded to this situation.
“Our hearts go out to the Morris family in their time of sorrow ... We also feel for the others who were injured in this sad incident and hope for their rapid recovery.”
The Omwake-Dearborn Chapel was open for prayer and meditation throughout Saturday and today.Counselors circulated in the residence halls and were available in the Student Development suite.
On Saturday night, officials in the Student Development Office offered sandwiches, soft drinks and support to any students who wanted to drop by between 8:30 and 10 p.m.
There will be a special worship service in the Omwake-Dearborn Chapel at 6 tonight.
A memorial service is being planned for a later date that will afford an opportunity for members of Morris’ family, who live in Batesburg-Leesville, S.C., to share in it.
A meeting between Catawba and Livingstone administrators has been scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday by representatives of the two institutions.
“We ask your thoughts and prayers for the Catawba and Livingstone College campuses as we move beyond this incident together,” Corriher said.
Contact Jillian McCartney at 704-797-4253 or jmccartney@salisburypost.com
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