University of Central Florida President John Hitt says he doesn't think the university's policy prohibiting weapons on campus should change after Monday's incident where a student shot himself. Authorities found a rifle, handgun, explosives and plans for a larger attack with the body of the UCF student who shot himself in his dorm room.
Police believe 30-year-old James Oliver Seevakumaran, a business major at the University of Central Florida, pulled a dorm fire alarm overnight Monday. They think he wanted to get students out into the open, where he could fire on them. Instead he shot himself as police closed in.
At a news conference Monday University President John Hitt was asked whether students should be allowed to have guns on campus, so they could protect themselves in situations like this one.
Hitt said no."I'm a hunter. I've owned guns since I was a boy. I'm a fair shot. I would not want to be placed in a situation, even with the experience I've had with firearms for many years", said Hitt. "I would not want to be placed in a situation with the kind of stress that you'd be under with a shooter."
Authorities say they also found notes suggesting Seevakumaran had planned a larger attack.