Students at Kutztown University are on edge following a home invasion inside a dorm on campus.
“It’s kind of scary knowing that people are walking in the dorms threatening to shoot people,” said Mike Weiss.
Police say it happened early Friday around 1:45 a.m. at Deatrick Hall, one of the campus dormitories. Students were inside their room when they heard a knock at the door. When they opened it, police say they were met by three masked men dressed in black. Two of the men were armed, according to investigators. The intruders allegedly struck one of the students, searched the room and then left without taking anything. A campus spokesman told NBC10’s Doug Shimell that the student who was struck was not seriously hurt.
The University is trying to figure out how the men managed to get past a key card entry system as well as a security person at the front desk inside the dorm.
“These individuals bullied their way in and made their way to this particular room,” said Matt Santos, a Kutztown University Spokesman. “It was definitely a breach of security.”
“It makes me feel uncomfortable because this is supposed to be safe school,” said Raheem Ford, a Kutztown student. “No one wants to feel like they have to be worried about someone barging into the room and getting past security.”
Data from the school website shows that there has not been a jump in crime from 2009 through 2011. Kutztown University officials also suspect the home invaders likely targeted the students in Friday’s incident and that it was not a random act. This isn’t particularly reassuring to Allison Seiple, a student at the school, however.
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“I think it’s still just as terrifying especially if it was planned,” she said. “Maybe even more scary that someone was planning on doing this on a college campus.”
Kutztown students with information on the incident should call the Kutztown University Police Department at 34001. Anyone who is off campus with information should call Kutztown University Police at 610-683-4001.
