After a double shooting on campus near a student housing complex, Georgia State University in Atlanta has announced that it has relieved the chief of the university's police department of her duties.
University President Mark Becker said in a letter to the campus community that Connie Sampson, who has been associate vice president for university police and building services, no longer will oversee the police department and "will now focus entirely on building services."
"We are beginning the search for an experienced law enforcement professional whose entire focus will be campus safety," Becker said.
The leadership changes comes after two people, one a Georgia State student, were wounded on campus earlier this week.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that the men allegedly exchanged gunfire in the parking lot of the Piedmont North student housing complex during what police say was a drug deal. Both men were recovering from their wounds and have been charged in connection with the incident, police said.
Becker also vowed to take steps to improve the university system for notifying students, staff and community members about emergencies on campus. "We are also immediately changing our processes for timely notifications and emergency alerts," Becker said.
"Many students and parents expressed concern they first heard about the incident on the news rather than from their own university. I am disappointed we did not promptly and effectively communicate what was happening...as information became available. We will provide more timely and frequent messages through a variety of channels to keep you informed."
