Wilson students warned about pellet gun use

Repeated incidents involving pellet guns in Wilson College have caused thousands of dollars in damage and frustration for administrators.

"This is the last warning you will receive — enough is enough," Wilson College Master Marguerite Browning said in an email to Wilson students March 23 after the most recent incident, when students were seen using pellet guns, also known as BB guns, in 1937 Hall.

"Be assured that anyone found to have a pellet gun or to have participated in the events ... will be subject to disciplinary procedures that could result in probation, removal from University housing or even suspension," Browning said.

Browning also cautioned students that pellet guns will be confiscated if found.

While Browning's email states that Public Safety is involved in the investigation of the second incident, Public Safety deputy director Charles Davall said in an email that "the pellet gun situation hasn't been reported to us yet."

The first incident, in early February, also occurred in 1937 Hall. Students using a pellet gun hit a sprinkler, which consequently went off and flooded the building, David Stirk, the former director of studies of Wilson and the new dean of Butler College, said. The damage was calculated to have cost "thousands of dollars," according to Browning's email.

"The possession, storage and/or use of any gun that shoots a projectile of any kind is a violation of Rights, Rules, Responsibilities," Stirk said in an email to Wilson students. "Any student found in possession of a pellet gun, a paintball gun or any other weapon or device of this kind will be subject to University sanction."

The students responsible for the damage were caught and disciplined, said Stirk, who declined to reveal the type of punishment to protect the students' privacy.

Wilson students had mixed reactions to the recent use of pellet guns on campus. Evie Austell '09 said she did not know about the incidents until Stirk and Browning sent their emails.

"To be perfectly honest, I haven't really paid much attention," Austell said. "I've never seen anyone with pellet guns so, therefore, I can't do anything to stop it since I don't know who is doing it. It hasn't affected my daily life at all."

Nicholas Cox '08 said administrators are making too large an issue out of the pellet gun use. "I don't think [pellet guns] are a problem," he said. "I don't understand why this should be made into such a large issue in fact. The worst problem would be if a pellet hit someone in the eye, but I don't think that's happened yet because students are more careful and responsible than the administration gives them credit for."