AMMAN — Some
Jordanian universities are tightening up their campus security following the
fatal shooting of 21-year-old
Iman Irshaid in broad daylight at Amman’s Applied
Science Private University.
اضافة اعلان
Irshaid was shot six times in the head on June 23.
The alleged shooter killed himself days later before being apprehended by
police.
The woman was
pronounced dead after medics transported her to hospital in critical condition.
News outlets said that Irshaid’s autopsy showed that the bullets led to a
fracture and laceration in the skull.
The shooting and
Irshaid’s death went viral on social media platforms, where many rebuked what
they saw as lax security measures which allowed the gunman to enter the
university and shoot Irshaid dead without being caught, not even by campus
security.
Salama Naimat, vice
president for administrative affairs at the University of Jordan, told Jordan
News that his institution is keen to uphold the safety and security of its
students, staff, and visitors.
He pointed to
unspecified measures to be undertaken by the school, which include increasing
the number of its security staff and developing their skills.
“The university’s
area is about 1,000 acres, with 20 gates and more than 400 surveillance
cameras,” he said, pointing to the spaciousness of the property. He did not
discuss the number of security staff involved in safeguarding the premises.
Mohammad
Al-Zubaidi, the security office’s director at the University of Jordan, lauded
the procedures which have in place for several months. But he explained that
efforts are undertaken to develop a sense of improved security among the
university’s security cadres.
He said there must
be stricter security measures enforced on visitors and students, including
inspection and identity checks.
Fathi Al-Faouri,
the dean of student affairs at the University of Petra, told Jordan News,
that the security system already in place “has not changed”.
“We have had
operating rooms, surveillance cameras, and strict security measures enforced
before this unfortunate incident,” he said, adding that the school is
“continuously developing this system”.
Jihad Al-Ithnaiat,
the head of the
University of Petra’s security office, said procedures in place
“are strict to protect our students”.
“We have electronic
gates for pedestrians and a magnetic entry card,” he said, adding that the
security staff will be beefed up.
On Monday, Jordan’s
Council of Higher Education approved several proposals to enhance security at
local universities. That included setting up electronic gates at university
entrances and exits, surveillance cameras to be deployed in all buildings and
university facilities, and beefing up university security, in terms of number
and management.
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