Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) students were shocked this past week by a stabbing incident that occurred between two male students on the afternoon of March 9.
Jeff Fifield, an investigation officer with MUN, said the stabbing was an isolated incident that doesn’t reflect university safety.
“It wasn’t something that was planned,” Fifield said about the confrontation. “This campus is one of the safest universities anywhere. Incidents like these are not an everyday occurrence.”
Fifield said there is an ongoing investigation into the incident and more information will be revealed in court, where Qiang Tong, 22, is facing charges of assault with a weapon and aggravated assault.
The victim, whose name has not been released, did not suffer life-threatening injuries, and Fifield said he is doing okay.
Heather Cook, a second-year special education student at MUN, said the incident wasn’t an issue of campus safety at all and doesn’t decrease her feeling of safety when on the campus.
“It really is the safest place other than home.”
Cook said she believes nothing could have been done to prevent the stabbing in terms of security measures.
Carleton students who heard about the incident say they find it unsettling, but take pride in Carleton’s campus security.
Sara Rose, a fourth-year economics residence student at Carleton, said living on campus makes her feel safer in terms of travelling at night.
“Living on campus allows me to walk home in well-lit tunnels, which makes me feel safer,” Rose said.
Rose said situations like the one at MUN make her more aware of potential dangers.
“You can never feel too secure when situations like this obviously do occur.”
Chris Moy, a shift manager with Carleton’s department of university safety, said there are multiple safety precautions in place for students, including lit walkways with emergency phones and the Foot Patrol program. He also said they also have a program in place to identify students who they have trouble with aviolence. They try and get these students counselling or medical assistance to aid the situation.
“It’s all about identifying potential problems in the future,” Moy said.