THE STUDENT VOICE SINCE 1904
The University Daily Kansan
vol. 137 // iss. 30 Thursday, Dec. 6, 2018
‘Run Hide Fight’ KU Medical Center students react to Monday night’s shooting at the University of Kansas Hospital
SAVANNA SMITH @savsmith20 HAILEY DIXON @_hailey_dixon Sarah Wienke, a second-year master of public health student at the University of Kansas Medical Center, was putting together a final project at the campus library when she was warned to stay inside nearly half an hour before an alert went out telling students to “Run Hide Fight.” There was an active shooter on campus at the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. Just before midnight on Dec. 3, the text alert informed Wienke and thousands of other University students and staff about the situation. The shooting occurred in front of the emergency room at the hospital, killing two people. The gunman, whose name is yet to be released, killed 28-yearold Dominic Garcia at the hospital after Garcia drove there with an unnamed female after shots were reported roughly three miles from the hospital at 7th and Osage, according to a previous article by the Kansan. According to an
Savanna Smith/KANSAN Two people died at the University of Kansas Medical Center following a shooting Monday night. article by the Kansas City Star, police said the shooting “stemmed from a domestic dispute.” Wienke, a native of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, was working on her project with a friend. Two others were in the library at the time, Wienke said, including the security guard who initially warned the students about the reported gunfire. Even when on
“They were definitely scared ... They were in disbelief.” Greg Playter Nursing student
lockdown after the alert went out, Wienke said she felt safe in the library since the building requires a badge to enter. She said the night was “decently uneventful” on her end. “It is scary it being so close, but I think I felt okay just knowing I was in a place that was locked,” she said in a phone interview with the Kansan. “We were doing the precautions that we
needed to do.” Though she knew of the situation before the campus-wide alert was issued, Wienke said she was glad the University took this step to warn students. “I’m glad that they did do the active shooter [alert] even if it was just to keep us on lock-down, just because it very easily could have not been that situation,” Wienke said. “It’s good that they were
taking that precaution so we could be safe and hopefully prevent it from getting worse.” Around the time of the shooting, Greg Playter, a nursing student from Overland Park, was at home in bed working on homework when his phone lit up with the alert. He saw the alert run across the screen. “I absorbed it in,” Playter said in a phone
they can get to their test on time.” However, during finals week, it’s only student lots that won’t be enforced — other zones for faculty and other staff members will still be enforced, as well as ADA parking spots. “Students should still be mindful of staff parking within some of these lots – staff parking, ADA parking and otherwise reserved parking is enforced all year around,” Hultine said. The office didn’t enforce ticketing in student lots during the spring 2018 semester finals week as a pilot — and without much publicity at the time, Ries said. Since KU Parking & Transit felt the first roll-out went suc-
cessfully, the office decided to have it in place again during this upcoming finals week. “My hope is that this will take one extra thing off the students’ minds next week, so they can focus on doing well on their finals and having a safe and restful winter break,” Ries said. “Students are just pressured with so many things nowadays. As a student government, I really think we need to work with
departments on campus to try and reduce that stress as much as possible.” The period of not enforcing student lot restrictions runs from Dec. 7 to Jan. 21.
interview with the Kansan. “I was shocked. I just didn’t comprehend it could happen so close to home.” After hearing the news, Playter, who both studies and works at the hospital, said he immediately texted a group chat he is a part of with several other nursing students. “It was kinda crazy for us all to hear that,” he said. He said his fellow classmates were frightened after hearing about the shooting. “They were scared,” Playter said. “They were definitely scared ... They were in disbelief.” On Tuesday morning, Playter said his unit manager at the hospital sent out an email to offer support in the wake of the shooting. “The support was really helpful,” he said. Playter said he returned to campus on Tuesday for school photos and to study, but remained more alert than usual. “I was just a little bit apprehensive,” he said. The Kansas City, Kansas Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division is still investigating the shooting, according to a department press release.
For more information, visit
Kansan.com
KU won’t issue tickets in student lots during finals
NICOLE ASBURY @NicoleAsbury KU Parking & Transit will not be ticketing student parking lots during finals week, meaning students can park in any green or yellow lots without receiving a parking citation. Starting Friday, Dec. 7, citations will not be issued to students who park in lots where they may not have a parking permit in an effort to help students easily get to final exams or turn in any final papers. Previously, students would receive parking citations during finals week if they parked in a zone they did not have a permit for. “In doing this, we’re trying to reduce the stress of finals week,” Donna Hultine, director of KU Parking & Transit, said in an email with the Kansan. Last spring, Student Body President Noah Ries approached the office to pitch the idea, as it was one of Crimson &
Blue’s platforms during its campaign. KU Parking & Transit thought it was a good idea, Ries said. Coincidentally, the office was already thinking of doing something similar to it before.
“In doing this, we’re trying to reduce the stress of finals week” Donna Hultine Director of KU Parking & Transit
“We were really looking at ways we as a student government could try to make that week a little bit easier for students,” Ries said. “One of the ways we felt we could reduce that stress and anxiety for students was in the form of parking tickets. When [students] rush to campus to turn in a final paper or take an exam at a different time, the last thing they want to worry about is having to park and making sure
Illustration by Hadley Kubicki/KANSAN KU Parking will not be ticketing green, yellow or Student Housing lots for finals week.