No one hurt in CSU robbery, abduction
School placed on lockdown for more than 2 hours
By Noah Haglund , Nadine Parks
Updated 11:15 a.m., November 12, 2008
Police continued to look for suspects after Tuesday night's apparent abduction and robbery of a female Charleston Southern University student and a male acquaintance in the school's parking lot.
The students told authorities that two men held them up at gunpoint and ordered them to drive to a nearby apartment complex, where they were robbed of a small amount of cash.
"We're thankful no one got hurt," said Doug Dickerson, CSU's director of university relations. "It's unfortunate that things like this happen. We're not a closed campus. Anytime a college or university is an open campus, you do everything in your power to provide for (the students') safety. It's not always going to be foolproof 100 percent of the time."
The school and the North Charleston police said the incident started in the parking lot by the men's dorms around 7:45 p.m. The victims told authorities that one suspect pulled out a handgun and told them to get in the car and drive to a nearby apartment complex. At the apartments, the robbers took about $35 from the couple.
The victims returned to CSU to call police.
The school placed the campus on lockdown as a precaution. An alert system sent out more than 6,000 automated calls and text messages to students, parents and faculty, Dickerson said.
After an initial alert around 8:45 p.m., the school sent a follow-up message sent about 10:15 p.m. A final message shortly after 11 p.m. told students the lockdown had been lifted.
Spencer Pryor, public information officer for North Charleston police, said detectives had no information to release about the suspects as of Wednesday morning.
It was the second robbery reported at Charleston Southern in as many months.
On Oct. 6, three men burst into a West Russell dormitory room, and one of them pointed a handgun at a student and demanded money. The campus was locked down for nearly four hours.
Police later arrested Justin Tyrone Moore, 20, of Greenville, and Tangie C. White, 23, of North Charleston. Moore had been suspended from the school a year earlier after being accused of having marijuana on campus.
White, 23, of North Charleston, was a student at the time of the robbery and was out on $50,000 bail on a murder charge stemming from the 2006 shooting death of a woman at a motel in Huntsville, Ala. He was suspended from the school after the robbery arrest.
Moore and White also were charged in the investigation of a holdup at a McDonald's near Otranto Road and an attempted robbery at another McDonald's on Rivers near Aviation Avenue, both on the same day of the robbery at the university.
The university said a glitch prevented the college warning message from reaching all students during the October incident.
The school opted not to send warning messages in September, when an anonymous caller reported a fight and a person with a gun in a parking lot. Authorities never found any fight or gun. At the time, many students had already left campus ahead of Tropical Storm Hanna.
Reach Nadine Parks at 937-5573 or nparks@postandcourier.com.
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moonpie (anonymous) says...
Well here we go. Super criminals with total disregard for life, law or property. These two students are lucky this didn't turn out worse. The keystone cops security may need to be beefed up at CSU with everything that has gone on there lately.
November 12, 2008 at 5:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sgtpsycho (anonymous) says...
Looks like they got impatient waiting for Obot's handouts. He had better hurry up. The election was over a WEEK ago!
November 12, 2008 at 6:05 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ColdBud (anonymous) says...
When these guys are caught it'll be interesting to see where they live. The crime in the area around CSU has been getting worse, but it hasn't involved guns until just recently.
November 12, 2008 at 6:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
islandbenzbc (anonymous) says...
No information on the suspects? Black, white, hispanic? I'm glad no one was hurt...
November 12, 2008 at 7:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
meg7 (anonymous) says...
2 armed abducters are still at large in the community. Why no description of the suspects?
November 12, 2008 at 7:35 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
metallic (anonymous) says...
If I were a criminal, I'd engage in criminal activity exclusively at schools.
We have concealed carry laws making it risky for criminals to attack people in public, but we have created a situation where criminals can be nearly 100% certain that their victims will be unarmed if they attack them in the "gun free" zones we have created on school campuses.
Of course, the victims in this situation should have NEVER gotten into the car and driven with their attacker. They are lucky to be alive; most kidnappings do not end well.
NEVER let an attacker take you away from the point of attack. It is better to run away seeking safety, screaming at the top of your lungs, and risk being shot by an attacker rather than be taken by your attacker to someplace where HE feels "safe."
If you end up on "his turf" your risks of being brutalized and murdered go up substantially.
November 12, 2008 at 7:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
christinader (anonymous) says...
I can't believe that this guy was out on bail and had a murder charge against him and he was at CSU. If I had a child at CSU I would be pissed that I didn't know that. I bet he had grants and free money to attend the school while other people that have really good grades cant get the government handout of free money for college they have to fight tooth and nail for the few scholorships that are out there and rely on student loans to get them through. It disgusts me! Further more how stupid can you be to rob a college student? I remember those days and money definately wasn't plentiful!
November 12, 2008 at 8:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
BlueWaterDay (anonymous) says...
I hope that our community isn't turning into the wild west.
November 12, 2008 at 8:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
ceecee (anonymous) says...
Psycho must be getting desperate to attack Obama from this article. I suppose if McCain were elected this crime would not have happened? The next four years are going to be real tough for you with that kind of blind hatred. Give it a rest already.
I agree with Metallic, you should do whatever it takes to avoid being taken to another location. They are lucky to be alive.
November 12, 2008 at 8:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
suec (anonymous) says...
These are some stupid criminals. Evryone knows that students don't have any money! What they do have is usually spent as fast as they get it.
November 12, 2008 at 9:02 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MsPiggy (anonymous) says...
Apartment complex near CSU? Are we talking Alta Shores? Because that's the only apartments over there I can think of.
What scum. Endangering and scaring the crap out of 2 innocent people all for what? less than $40 bucks???
These creeps need to do something productive with their lives. And if they can't be a productive member of society, throw their arses in prision and throw away the key. This sort of thing just REALLY ticks me off. Two innocent college students trying to make something out of their lives and some low-life comes along and harasses them AT GUNPOINT. What a waste of their mothers going through X hours of labor to bring them into this world.
November 12, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
metallic (anonymous) says...
"BlueWaterDay" posted:
>>>I hope that our community isn't turning into the wild west.<<<
If you decide to learn some real history -- instead of believing the fiction Hollywood has created about the West -- you will learn that the "Wild West" never had levels of crime like we have now!
The Old West was a pretty safe and peaceful place compared to some of our communities now.
I wish we could return to the crime rate levels of the Old West!
November 12, 2008 at 9:19 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
DoniaDutchess (anonymous) says...
I can't believe how unsafe CSU has become. Were the suspects students of the school? If so, CSU really needs to be more judicial when it comes to letting people in-like it used to be. I had to fight tooth and nail for every dime of financial aid I recieved, and graduated $60g in debt. Where did Mr White get the money to attend? This really burns me up to the core. Students should be livid the financial aid they're working so hard for and are not getting is going to criminals.
November 12, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
UrGatorbait (anonymous) says...
Another great reason to live in North Charleston.
November 12, 2008 at 12:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chs294 (anonymous) says...
It is a bit disconcerting but the reality is CSU campus is an open area where over 3,000 people will be at any one time. The irony is, pre-1990 all vehicles had to go through a check-point and accounted. Many people, visitors, parents, etc. said that was too strict and the school needs to move ahead. No excuses being made but it's a tall order to secure 300 acres of open and diverse land without being Big Brother.(I know past students have felt security was too over-bearing. Small price to pay now huh?) Similar incidents have occurred at the "college" Downtown but because campus/urban lines are mixed it goes down as a simple city problem. All that being said , something certainly must/will be done to address the issue.
November 12, 2008 at 12:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chs294 (anonymous) says...
Gator- have you found a crime-free area that we don't know about? ( I don't live in N.C. -but just the same)
November 12, 2008 at 12:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
fourisenough (anonymous) says...
I was thinking of sending my child here next year. I thought it was a christian college and all the other students would have christian values. I might as well send her anywhere.
November 12, 2008 at 1:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CSUmom (anonymous) says...
As the mother of a full time CSU student, I hope CSU takes this situation as an opportunity to either close the campus/use gated entry; and have armed guards on campus. This is a very serious situation; and we are fortunate there was not a bad outcome. I feel terribly for the students traumatized by this situation; and I am certain it makes other students uncomfortable as well. Here's hoping CSU administration will do the right things to protect our children.
November 12, 2008 at 1:29 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
walleyedwoman1215 (anonymous) says...
PLEASE, readers, heed the warning several posters have passed along: Never let a perpetrator drive or drag you from the point of origin. Scratch, struggle, bite his nose off. Even if he threatens you w/ a gun, he's unlikely to use it in a public place while you're raising 20 kinds of hell. If he punches you, grab the family jewels. If he pins your arms from behind, bite his hands, kick and scream "HElP!" If he points a gun at you while he's outside and you're in a car, DRIVE LIKE HELL. Lay rubber, hit the horn, turn on your flashers.
Once you're in a suspect's vehicle, he owns you and the chances of your survival plummet drastically. Better to incur bruises or broken teeth than wind up gang-raped or murdered.
I covered the crime beat for 17 years; the ones who got away were the ones who lived.
November 12, 2008 at 1:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rgmail (anonymous) says...
Yes CSUMom, I really understand how you feel. I am a first time full time CSU Mom. I think that they need to beep up security. They have had three locked downs in the last three months and fall classes just started in August. I have a cousin from up north who visited the campus last month and she could not believe how open the campus is. She said that CSU is a open target for any crazy person. With the way the world is today and how crazy people are getting. I really think security need to be more strict on any campus.
November 12, 2008 at 2 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JohnS (anonymous) says...
These folks are real lucky. It's hard to believe they were kidnapped. Dr. Hunter should allow conceal carry on campus.
November 12, 2008 at 3:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yird (anonymous) says...
Spencer Pryor, public information officer for North Charleston police, said detectives had no information to release about the suspects as of Wednesday morning.I
=========================================
Is anyone reading this so naive as to not know why there is "no information to release about the suspects"?
++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++ ++
If there was ever a situation that calls for doing away with our antiquated prohibitive gun laws this is it.
Maybe the powers that be would like a repeat of the unnecessary slaughter that took place at Virgina Tech.
If those students had been allowed to carry, the death toll, if any would have been substantially less.
Many who post online seem to think college students are a special breed of intelligent, learning motivated individuals.
Let's treat them that way and allow them the opportunity to protect themselves if need be.
My granddaughter attends CSU and I would be very comfortable with her carrying concealed.
I'll buy her a gun or give her one of my many.
November 12, 2008 at 3:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
UrGatorbait (anonymous) says...
chs294-
No not really but Goose Creek is much nicer, well that really depends on what side of the tracks your on. North Charleston, not so much. North Chuck is a pit.
November 12, 2008 at 4:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chs294 (anonymous) says...
- "I thought it was a christian college and all the other students would have christian values. I might as well send her anywhere".
CSU offers Christians courses, programs and environment. It DOES NOT require students to profess or adhere to any faith or belief so obviously you'll get a mix of "personalities".
- "I have a cousin from up north who visited the campus last month and she could not believe how open the campus is".
Really? How many campuses has she been to? Or is it the assumption that a Christian university would be walled off and segregated from the community?
I've been on 20-25 college campuses and all but perhaps 2 were as "open" as CSU. Don't get me wrong, as a parent your concern is understandable and you should demand everything be done but you'd be suprised how many parents think the school is too "tight" and should let their kids do whatever they want(i.e. drink, sex, you name it)
November 12, 2008 at 4:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chs294 (anonymous) says...
gator-
Then we must be neighbors. But I don't think it's right to lump all of NC together. Actually the area around CSU , the point of this discussion, is not bad at all. I'm sure residents of CooSaw would say their corner of NC is quite lovely. Conversly Chas city residents like to overlook the East side when promoting the beauty and safety of their streets. But I get where you're coming from.
November 12, 2008 at 4:44 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
she_crab (anonymous) says...
Oh for crying out loud Chicken Littles! CSU is a safe school. I was there during the time of the robbery. Everyone received an IRIS alert, the campus was locked down and ALL cars were searched. That is HECK OF A LOT better than it used to be at any college. I attended CofC in the early nineties. We had weekly armed robberies, and it was two weeks before we knew about the serial rapist on campus.
November 12, 2008 at 4:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
moonpie (anonymous) says...
A simple fence could take care of this.
November 12, 2008 at 7:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
CSUgrad08 (anonymous) says...
The fact of being a Christian campus has nothing to do with this kind of tragedy. In fact, if you want to be picky... it comes down to home training. Parents today make me sick... my dad taught me how to be a gentlemen, polite, and upstanding.
There are some kids out there that do not have home training and this is what it is coming to. Thank you to the parents who were like my dad.
CSU is a great school. This is tragic, and yes security needs to be beefed up. Having more beefed up security though.. may not help the situation.
As for having a fence around the school and a checkpoint... that does not keep those who are IN THE CAMPUS ALREADY from committing the crime. I do agree that CSU needs to tighten up on student selection, but you cannot tell who is going to commit crimes without stereotyping.
Back to the Christian campus theory. This could happen on any campus... but just because CSU is a Christian campus... people judge it more. WHY!? CSU does their best to be set apart as a Christian campus and they do just that! CSU is one of the top rated Universities of its kind in the southeast.
President Elect, president bush, president of 2012 has nothing to do with this. The time has really come to let the election go and move on.
When something happens like this, we need to be thankful that nobody was hurt. Yet the students were not the brightest for getting in the car, but if someone holds a gun to you, I am sure that some of your stories would change. There comes a time to have faith for protection!
November 12, 2008 at 11:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
honesty (anonymous) says...
I cant speak for them all but I have met Tyrone and his family and I know they are a christian family.I was just talking with his dad on the phone when his dad had just given some lady that ran out of gas in charleston $4 and bought her some gas, that is how there whole family is.Tyrone is a fine christian young man and the criminals took advantage of them, and someone called the young man he was with for a ride, and asked if they could get Tyrone to pick them up, he honestly didnt know they had robbed someone, and after he did pick them up he noticed they were acting weard and was suspicious they had done something and immediately put them out the car,he was also curious if they may come looking for him later. those two kids honestly did not know the two they picked up had robbed someone.One of the robbers from what Ive heard wrote a statement saying they had nothing to do with it.Im glad he was honest! Lets not judge them all so quickly and see what happens.
November 26, 2008 at 7:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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