College closes after threat
By John Joyce
Published in News on April 17, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/CASEY MOZINGO
Students leave Wayne Community College campus this morning after a threat.
A threat phoned in to the campus of Wayne Community College early this morning forced the school to shut down early for the weekend, officials said today.
Goldsboro police Chief Jeff Stewart said the school felt the threat was credible enough to call for the closure. His department is investigating.
Students were seen wandering around the campus and leaving at a leisurely pace, despite the police presence at their school for the second time in a week.
"Wayne Community College closed at 10 a.m. today. What I have been told is an unsubstantiated threat was called in and it was not related to Monday's events," WCC Public Information Officer Tara Humphries said.
A former student and work study employee, Kenneth M. Stancil III, 20, walked onto campus Monday armed with a shotgun and shot his former teacher, Ron Lane, 44, killing him instantly.
After a brief manhunt Stancil was arrested in Florida and brought back Thursday to Wayne County to face prosecution.
Neither the school nor law enforcement believe there is a bomb on campus.
"It was a telephone call made to the college causing some concern," Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce said. "The college just decided to err on the side of caution."
Pierce said he was already on his way to the college this morning with some of his administrators and deputies to show support in light of Monday's tragedy. He got the call about the threat and instructed his deputies to assist Goldsboro Police Department personnel in any way necessary.
Reacting to news of another incident at Wayne Community College, where Wayne County Public Schools has a high school and hundreds of students attending dual enrollment classes, officials scrambled to notify parents and students that the campus was being closed.
Ken Derksen, director of communication services, said the district responded mid-morning by alerting parents to the situation.
"In light of this week's events, Wayne Early/Middle College High School will be closed today and there will be no dual enrollment classes there today."
A text alert was issued by the college to students at 9:49 a.m. stating the college would close at 10 a.m. and remain closed for the entire weekend, to include both classes and activities. The message called the shut down a "precautionary action only."
Stewart was not on scene, but said via telephone he did not believe the threat "is that serious."
Maj. Jay Memmelaar had command at the scene but was unavailable for comment.
Ms. Humphries said faculty and students should resume their normal schedules Monday.