On Aug. 20, a man was found dead in a University of Central Florida parking lot. According to UCF news reports, the man was neither a student nor a staff member and was found near Millican Hall.
According to information which has not yet been confirmed, the man was found in a car, with a .380-caliber gun in his hand. Inspection of the body found no sign of bullet wounds and toxicology reports are still incomplete. The case has been labeled “suspicious” pending further investigation.
Several UCF students agree that they are now more vigilant and conscious of their surroundings. One such first-year Elizabeth Anderson, mentioning a class that dismisses at 8 p.m., stated, “I’m going to carry pepper spray with me at all times.”
According to several Rollins students, the recent death at UCF significantly adds to the worries of being away from home. Julia Galmarini ‘14 said, “It just freaks me out. It’s scary because it’s so close to home; it could happen to any of us. Whether he was killed or committed suicide doesn’t matter— it still has an impact on the general public.”
Another Rollins student, Emily Goetz ‘14 added, “As a freshman it makes me feel sad because this is a stressful time, and this kid—whether he was a student or not—didn’t get to see that college is a more open place than high school—and it does get better.” Regardless of the eventual ruling in this case, statistics show that suicide is the second leading cause of death among college students, the third leading cause of death among people between 15 and 24, and the eighth leading cause of death, regardless of age, sex, or race.
Even if just as a precaution, please remember to have Campus Security’s number in your phone: 407-646-2999. Also, if you or your friends are ever in need of counseling or just someone to talk to, definitely consider making use of our campus’ CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) program at 407-628-6340, or call the National Suicide Hotline: 1-800- 273-TALK.
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