Students cope with tragic loss

The fatal shooting Sunday night of University of Memphis football player Taylor Bradford has created an atmosphere of sadness and fear on The U of M campus among the student body, particularly residents.

Carpenter Complex resident Trenton Busby said when he discovered that his neighbor was killed, he was in complete shock.

"I was shocked because I knew him, and when I found out that his wreck happened so close to our complex, I got worried because it could've happened to anybody," said the sophomore marketing management major.

Bradford's death also caused a stir among other campus residents, who suddenly heard the news after dormitories were ordered to be put on lock-down.

"I found out around 11:30 p.m. when the desk assistant told me I needed to check out my visitor because we were on lock-down," said Tamara Jones, Rawls Hall resident. "After talking to the DA about why we were on lockdown, I learned that the student was someone I knew."

Kimberly Macklin, junior management information systems major, said she's a former classmate of Bradford's and is deeply saddened by his death.

"I don't know how he was outside of the classroom, but in class he was always willing to help others if they didn't understand something," Macklin said. "He was just an overall good person."

Macklin said although crime is commonplace in the city of Memphis, she never would've thought a homicide would happen on The U of M campus.

"I think it's a mess that you hear about something like this everywhere else, like at Virginia Tech or Delaware," Macklin said. "But when a school murder happens so close to home, it seems to be more of a reality."

Busby said the first two incidents of the school year alone should've raised eyebrows.

"Especially since someone almost lost her life in the last incident," he said. "Now someone actually has lost a life."

In a press conference yesterday afternoon, President Shirley Raines said that The University of Memphis has never experienced a shooting death on campus in the past.

As a result, this tragedy has students questioning the presence of campus police.

"If campus police were seen more on campus, their presence alone could have prevented this from happening," Busby said. "They're on campus and seen, but a lot of times they aren't around when you need them and don't respond as quickly."

Macklin said she thought a police presence in the parking lot of Carpenter Complex could have prevented the crime.

"The complex is not as secure as it could be, since everyone runs loose over there compared to other dorms, but were you guys (police) out there Sunday night?" Macklin said. "I mean how could you not see someone in the parking lot with a gun, had you been out there doing what you were supposed to be doing?"

Macklin said she understands that police did immediately go to the scene of the crime - only it was too late.

Busby said he always felt somewhat safe on campus, prior to Sunday night's tragedy. But now, he's telling a different story.

"I'm not paranoid, but I'm not as safe now because Carpenter is an open area and anyone can walk in and out," Busby said. "People know that, so they can estimate what they can get away with and where to go. I've never seen cops near the Carpenter gate at all until last night. And from my understanding, there are no surveillance cameras near the residence hall, so that's definitely something The University should take into consideration to keep something like this from happening again."

Jones said she never sees campus police doing much of anything other than writing tickets, so she often fears for her personal safety.

"I don't feel safe and never felt completely safe, since school started," she said. "I try to not go anywhere and if I do, I walk with somebody or just not leave late at night."

Students said they are even more concerned that the killer is still at large.

Jones said it bothers her to know that a person would have the audacity to murder a nice, sweet guy whom you never heard anything bad about.

Macklin said because it was a planned act and not random, according to campus police, she wonders if someone knew anything about the suspect's intentions.

"If other students heard about it going around, they should've notified someone," she said. "Then again, they were probably scared and risked their own lives, if it got out that they released details about what happened."

Macklin said she believes an acquaintance of Bradford's committed the crime.

"Who else would know what unit he stayed in, where he was coming from and what time he was coming in," she said. "The suspect obviously followed Taylor and did what he wanted to do. If the guy is smart, he won't come back."

Macklin said it's scary that the killer could be someone that she walks side by side with on a daily basis at school.

"You don't know the minds of people these days," she said. "It could've been a jealous associate that either did the crime or got someone to do it for him, but I think somebody at school definitely got involved."

Busby said if the killer is a student and peers knew about his motives, they probably didn't take him seriously.

"Nowadays, people say things but don't really mean it," he said. "The suspect probably said something like that before and didn't do anything, so people just blew off whatever he said. But, someone should have stepped up and said something regardless, whether he was playing or not. You can't make threats like that and get away with it."