Mid-morning arrest startles students
Individual brings weapons on campus in violation of state law
Erin Huggins
Issue date: 2/4/09 Section: News
Last Wednesday morning at 11:16 a.m., Campus Public Safety (CPS) and Monmouth Police identified, detained and arrested Western student Jeffrey Maxwell in the downstairs student area of Werner University Center (WUC) for violation of ORS 166.370, Possession of a Firearm in a Public Building.
CPS had sent an e-mail on Tuesday, Jan. 27, alerting the campus community about an individual who had been seen loitering around the pool area and the residence halls.
Wednesday morning, CPS received a call reporting a person matching the description given in the e-mail who was carrying a knife on campus. Because weapons were involved, Assitant Director of CPS and CPS Officer Mike Hanson called Monmouth Police Department (MPD) for back-up. Sergeant Kim Dorn, Officer Matthew Olafson and a recruit officer from MPD, along with Hutchinson and Hanson, were unable to locate the individual upon an initial search of the campus.
However, shortly before 11 a.m., CPS received another call about the individual and the MPD officers returned to campus.
Maxwell, who was sitting at one of the study tables across from the Service and Career Learning Center, was approached from behind by Joe Hutchinson from Campus Public Safety and MPD officers. Hutchinson asked Maxwell if he had any weapons concealed on his person.
On first response, Maxwell answered he had a knife. Hutchinson then put Maxwell's hands above his head. The second time he was asked, Maxwell said he had a gun.
After the weapons were removed, officers took him into the Calapooia Room. A few minutes later, he was escorted into one of two police cars parked on Church Street outside of WUC.
Responding to why they did not evacuate WUC, Hutchinson said CPS did not know what weapons were involved and did not want to alert the suspect by a sudden flood of students leaving the building.
"If we had known he had a gun, the scenario would have been totally different," Hutchinson said.
Maxwell was initially approached because of his resemblance to the individual in CPS's e-mail, although Hutchinson said CPS has not confirmed whether or not Maxwell is the same person described in the e-mail.
CPS had sent an e-mail on Tuesday, Jan. 27, alerting the campus community about an individual who had been seen loitering around the pool area and the residence halls.
Wednesday morning, CPS received a call reporting a person matching the description given in the e-mail who was carrying a knife on campus. Because weapons were involved, Assitant Director of CPS and CPS Officer Mike Hanson called Monmouth Police Department (MPD) for back-up. Sergeant Kim Dorn, Officer Matthew Olafson and a recruit officer from MPD, along with Hutchinson and Hanson, were unable to locate the individual upon an initial search of the campus.
However, shortly before 11 a.m., CPS received another call about the individual and the MPD officers returned to campus.
Maxwell, who was sitting at one of the study tables across from the Service and Career Learning Center, was approached from behind by Joe Hutchinson from Campus Public Safety and MPD officers. Hutchinson asked Maxwell if he had any weapons concealed on his person.
On first response, Maxwell answered he had a knife. Hutchinson then put Maxwell's hands above his head. The second time he was asked, Maxwell said he had a gun.
After the weapons were removed, officers took him into the Calapooia Room. A few minutes later, he was escorted into one of two police cars parked on Church Street outside of WUC.
Responding to why they did not evacuate WUC, Hutchinson said CPS did not know what weapons were involved and did not want to alert the suspect by a sudden flood of students leaving the building.
"If we had known he had a gun, the scenario would have been totally different," Hutchinson said.
Maxwell was initially approached because of his resemblance to the individual in CPS's e-mail, although Hutchinson said CPS has not confirmed whether or not Maxwell is the same person described in the e-mail.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 154
Kevin Starrett
Kevin Starrett
posted 2/06/09 @ 10:33 PM PST
The headline is bogus. The student violated no state law. Period. The local police are the ones who are ignorant of the law. Students should be aware that the people charged with "policing" them don't know what the law is and that's why one charge has already been dropped. (Continued…)
steve wilkowske
posted 2/06/09 @ 11:24 PM PST
It's appalling, but not surprising that neither the arresting officer or the reporter bothered to look at what 166.370 says. The irony is that the school and police broke the law, not Maxwell. (Continued…)
anonymous
posted 2/07/09 @ 9:35 AM PST
[quote]Maxwell had a valid permit for possessing concealed weapons; however, the permit does not allow people to bring weapons inside public schools, private schools or courthouses. (Continued…)
James Peabody
posted 2/07/09 @ 10:02 AM PST
This article is full of inaccurate statements and downright lies. The author clearly does not understand what she reporting on and did not bother to do any investigation of her own including the laws she references. (Continued…)
Jessica
posted 2/07/09 @ 3:02 PM PST
166.370 Possession of firearm or dangerous weapon in public building or court facility; exceptions; discharging firearm at school. (1) Any person who intentionally possesses a loaded or unloaded firearm or any other instrument used as a dangerous weapon, while in or on a public building, shall upon conviction be guilty of a Class C felony. (Continued…)
Flork
posted 2/07/09 @ 5:50 PM PST
Quoting: "I have night class," she said. "Usually, I'm fine walking to my car. Now I'm going to second guess that."
Who is she kidding?
A person who lawfully carries a
concealed weapon in the State of Oregon has:
1. (Continued…)
Jason MacGregor
posted 2/07/09 @ 7:52 PM PST
It's interesting that if you actually READ THE LAW he was not violating the law in any way. Colleges (READ NOT SCHOOL - elementary, middle or high SCHOOL) are not places where carrying a handgun is against the law. (Continued…)
Flork
posted 2/07/09 @ 8:20 PM PST
One more thought.
According to the folks at the Oregon Firearms Federation, Mr. Maxwell is a Veteran of the United States Marine Corps. For some reason that seems to be a detail neglected by the author of this article. (Continued…)
21st Century Leper...
posted 2/07/09 @ 8:23 PM PST
Wow, so many issues here, where should I start...
For it to be reported as "news" it should have some truth and accuracy. While he really was arrested, the truth is he was not violating state law. (Continued…)
A.tack.Duck
posted 2/08/09 @ 9:25 AM PST
Hmm, Civil Rights Violation Under Color of the Law: Federal offense. I'm sure Oregon has something along that line, too. False arrest, etc. We had a few of these in Virgina and it is making the arrestees and lawyers quite well off. (Continued…)
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