There's nothing quite like feeling safe on your campus:

At approximately 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 4, a pedestrian received a minor gunshot wound while walking near 40th Avenue and Providence East Loop. The suspects were in a Dodge Neon (color unknown). The victim ran through the woods and ended up at the MAC apartments where a resident called the police. The Anchorage Police Department is investigating this incident as a gang related shooting.

While this incident does not directly impact the campus, it does remind us that violence can occur anywhere and anytime. The University Police Department asks the community to remember the following safety tips.

While walking across campus:
• Be aware of your surroundings and alert for suspicious people or dangerous situations
• “Buddy up” when possible or call UPD for an escort
• Learn the locations of the emergency phones and memorize UPD’s phone number – 786-1120

While entering your car/driving:
• Have your keys in your hand and ready to insert into the lock as you approach your car
• Lock your doors after entering
• Secure your belongings out of sight - preferably in the trunk

While in buildings:
• Don’t leave belongings unattended
• If you use a locker buy a good padlock
• Lock your office, residence hall or apartment door
• Be aware of hallway and elevator phones that automatically ring to UPD Dispatch

Always:
• Report suspicious people or activities
• Be security conscious by watching out for the well being of others
• If you are the victim of a crime, report it

Please remember that safety is everybody’s business.

The shooting happened within spitting distance of the bus stop I wait at when I ride the bus to/from school. And since it gets dark at 5:00 now, I'm pretty much always riding the bus home in the dark. (Fortunately, bus days are few and far between now that I have a car. That used to be my every-day routine.) That street divides the hospital from the campus. The Mac Apartments are about 3 feet from the building where I lived my freshman year. Man, life is tough in Alaska.