HOUSTON – Following a recent fatal shooting at Florida State University, students and staff at Texas Southern University in Houston are reflecting on the importance of security at their own public campus.
Like FSU, TSU is a public institution situated in the heart of a bustling city, surrounded by neighborhoods, local businesses, and high foot traffic. This environment, while vibrant, also presents unique safety challenges.
Students on High Alert
Some TSU students say the events at FSU hit close to home.
“It’s not something that would typically happen over here, so it is shocking,” said TSU student Savion Jackson. “As college students going through this, my heart goes out to them.”
“It’s really crazy because last week we had a lockdown because of a shooting near the HP&E,” added student Arriana May. “We’re on a public campus, but that’s where the bad part comes in—anybody can come on campus.”
This vulnerability has many students relying more heavily on campus police and pushing for continued safety upgrades.
TSU Responds with Upgrades
TSU Police Chief Bobby Brown said campus security has been a major focus over the last eight months. The university has added:
- New emergency call boxes
- License plate readers
- Additional surveillance cameras
- Increased patrol presence
Chief Brown recalled how a student helped police respond quickly to last week’s off-campus shooting incident near campus.
“A young man picked up the phone and said, ‘This is what I’m seeing.’ He didn’t hang up the phone—he guided us right to the incident,” Brown said.
He noted that a previous incident at the University of Houston, where a female student was assaulted, served as a wake-up call for TSU leadership to double down on safety efforts.
Pushing for Collaboration Across Campuses
In response to recent events, TSU is taking a proactive step by inviting all Houston-area universities to a Campus Safety Symposium. The goal: encourage safety improvements and foster a citywide line of communication between universities.
“When a tragedy happens—whether it’s at U of H, whether it’s at Rice—we still feel the pain,” Brown said. “We want to make sure that when things happen, we react together.”
The university also plans to expand outreach efforts, including town halls and gun safety awareness initiatives.
Other Universities React
KPRC 2 reached out to both Rice University and the University of Houston for comment. While Rice declined the interview, UH shared that its full campus safety plan is available to the public online.
