W W W. L A LO Y O L A N . C O M
Los Angeles LOYOLAN The
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E. OM . H ICE UR YO R VO S. W U YO R NE U YO
V O LU M E 9 7 ISSUE 12 RT &A S
Students welcome LMU's newest culinary addition, The Habit Burger. For the full story, see page 9.
EST. 1921
NOVEMBER 14, 2018
Active shooter hoax riles campus Late alert of situation by DPS has led to student anger and an investigation into process. Kellie Chudzinski Editor-in-Chief @LALoyolan
Police swarmed campus and an LAPD helicopter circled over Del Rey North on Friday evening as authorities responded to a report of an active shooter on campus. LAPD, which responded around 5:50 p.m., determined that there was no evidence of a threat and cleared the area around the freshman dorms at 6:34 p.m. However, the Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) first alert to students and community came at 6:51 p.m, well after LAPD cleared campus. The incident prompted an outcry from students, parents, staff and faculty who were upset and angered by the lack of communication from DPS during the potential threat and search, which was the result of a prank. In a community-wide email sent Tuesday afternoon, President Snyder said, "the university failed to alert [students] about a potential threat in a prompt manner,” and that he “recognize[d] and regret[ted] the anxiety and traumatic experiences caused by a reprehensible and potentially dangerous prank.” Snyder included the ways LMU is responding, which include hiring law firm Musick Peeler & Garrett to investigate the failure of the alert system and provide suggestions. The Loyolan has learned that the investigation is expected to be concluded in one week. See Hoax shooting | Page 2
Literally in the dark
A first-hand account of a fearful Friday in Del Rey North. Dai-sy-me Bolin Daisy Bolin
Students impacted by Southern California wildfire The Woolsey fire is affecting the Malibu, Topanga and Thousand Oaks areas. Isabella Murillo Asst. News Editor @LALoyolan
Opinion Intern @LALoyolan
M
aking my way out of the Del Rey North main entrance on Friday, I hung up the phone call I had just had with my grandma and finally glanced at texts that had been vibrating on my cheek. “Active shooter. Stay in your room,” was the first text I saw from my friend. It was sent to me at 5:50 p.m. The moment I read this text, LAPD officers armed with guns the size of my arm demanded I go to my room and lock the door. Just before 6 p.m. on Friday, LAPD was already deployed on campus and actively searching for a reported potential active shooter, yet students heard nothing from the school — not a text, automated call or announcement. The Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) lack of communication regarding what was going on during the potentially lethal situation, what to do and how to stay safe was a critical failure for ensuring the safety of our students—one that could’ve cost lives. See Active shooter| Page 6
Jason Munoz | Loyolan
The Woolsey Fire smoke can be seen from LMU's bluff, on Friday. The latest alert sent out by LMU said that the smell of smoke has reached campus and air quality levels were "moderate," according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.
The L.A. Fire Department (LAFD) has been working hard to contain the Woolsey Fire, and has succeeded in containing around 25 percent of it at the time of production on Tuesday night. However, it is predicted to get worse as the Santa Ana winds continue to blow into the area and humidity remains low, according to Curbed Los Angeles. The fire has affected hundreds of LMU students' families from outside the L.A. area. Currently, the fire is affecting the entirety of the city of Malibu and parts of Thousand Oaks, Topanga, Calabasas, the Santa Monica Mountains and other surrounding areas. The current location of the fire can be tracked on the Google Maps crisis map. "My house burned down, we lost almost everything [and] a few of my neighbors and friends also lost part [or] all of their homes," said Savannah Slattery, a junior marketing major from Malibu. "I just really wish I could have my home back." Thousand Oaks was also affected by a shooting on Wednesday at the Borderline Bar and Grill, where 12 people were killed. “This last 48 [to] 72 hours in Ventura County have been a difficult time,” said Ventura County Supervisor Peter Foy on Friday. “People lost their lives in the shooting and now people have lost their homes [in the fire].” See Wildfires | Page 2