Victims’ concern for safety heightened after attack

The bullet penetrated more than Robbie Berriz’ upper torso; it pierced through his sense of security and heightened safety concerns for him and the campus community.

Berriz, a business administration and guitar performance major, and three other students were robbed at gunpoint Friday, Sept. 26. Berriz and 20-year-old student Brian Hill were shot during the attack. The incident changed how safe the students felt on and around campus.

“I think I’ll be a little more cautious when going out,” Berriz said. “(I now) know it’s a possibility that (someone) could be out there to hurt you. Not that I want to think that way, but it’s happened once, what’s to say it won’t happen again?”

Art foundation major Danielle Canfield was one of the students assaulted. She said she felt safe walking with three other people the night of the attempted robbery, especially three men.

“I just thought I was safe and then that happened,” Canfield said. “(The shooting) just changed everything.”

Berriz said, “There’s safety in numbers, but it doesn’t count for much when he’s got a gun.”

Thomas Jackson, a J. Sargeant Reynolds student, was one of the victims. He said “it didn’t matter” to the robber that the students were in a group.

“It was nothing to him, like he did it every night,” Jackson said. “He wasn’t scared, wasn’t shaking. It was just like he knew what he was doing.”

Jackson said he now plans to acquire a gun.
Ron Brown, a spokesperson for the Richmond Police Department, said it was difficult to say why the “safety in numbers” practice did not work in this case.

“Until we are able to talk to a suspect, we won’t be able to get a better answer,” Brown said. “We’re going to do all we can to try to find the person or persons responsible.”

Brown also said to avoid being the victim of an assault, students should be diligent and always comply with a robber.

“Be aware of your surroundings,” Brown said. “Walk in groups and stay in well (lit) areas.”

Brown said students should use the VCU Security Escort Service.

VCU alumnus Melissa Roberts works at a restaurant across the street from the shooting and was on the scene minutes after the assault. She said the fact that the students were walking in a group also raised safety concerns for her.

“People always say there’s safety in numbers,” Roberts said. “There were four of them, so it’s a little confusing because . I think I’m always safe because I don’t go anywhere alone.”

Roberts said she worries about VCU students.

“I feel that with the student body being larger, (students) are a little bit more careless,” Roberts said. “I can just see the students are out more, partying more. I just worry that they’re not being as responsible as they could be.”

Roberts also said because the university has grown so much in size, students might forget they are still in a city and therefore take more risks.

“I think sometimes that line (between college campus and city) has been blurred to the (point) where the students don’t recognize that it’s still a city, and they’re not told that it’s still a city because VCU really wants to see itself as a campus,” Roberts said.

Berriz said students sometimes see themselves as invincible. He wants students to know being assaulted was the last thing he expected and it could happen to them just as easily.

Jackson said he has not noticed an increase in safety precautions among students.

“The next night (after the attempted robbery), I saw girls walking down there by themselves,” Jackson said. “It didn’t seem like anyone was really aware that had happened. It was just something in the paper.”

If anyone has information related to this assault, which occurred on the 300 block of Goshen Street around 11:20 p.m., Friday, Sept. 26, they should call the Richmond Police Department Crime Stoppers hotline at 780-1000 or VCU Police at 828-1196.