Police in Greensboro, North Carolina, have arrested a 27-year-old white man who they say brought guns, knives and a number of other weapons as well as about 1,000 rounds of ammunition to the campus of North Carolina A&T State University.
Brandon James Bentley was arrested on March 26 after “chasing unarmed security guards on campus” and “making threats to law enforcement,” according to local NBC News affiliate WXII.
When police searched Bentley’s car, they reportedly found two handguns, two shotguns, one rifle, a crossbow, a machete, a stun gun, hatchets, knives, choking devices, pepper spray, a blow dart gun, brass knuckles, and other weaponry. He was also said to have over 1,000 rounds of ammo.
Bentley has been charged with multiple weapons offenses, including having a firearm on educational property, having an explosive device on educational property, having a weapon on educational property, carrying a concealed weapon, driving with a revoked license and reckless driving.
Although the incident occurred over a week ago, students and parents at the historically Black university say they are just now finding out about what took place.
“Nothing was talked about. No alerts were sent. We have an alert system for these reasons,” Shelby Samuels, a junior at the university, told CBS Affiliate WFMY News.
“It’s sad we have to sit at night and think, ‘Oh, we’re going to barricade our door with our beds so we’re prepared if something happens,’ ‘Freshman Demiara Cockerham told the local station. “We should not have to think that,” said Cockerham.
“We’re an HBCU campus, hate crimes are a thing, [and] he was so close to his goal of coming on this campus and doing what he wanted to do and us not know a thing about it,” Samuels added.
On Monday, the university released a statement saying that “because of the quick and decisive action of law enforcement, a campus alert was not issued, as the suspect no longer constituted an ongoing threat to campus safety.”
The FBI, State Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and the Greensboro Police Department are all conducting continuing investigations, according to the university’s message. Bentley, who has no connection to N.C. A&T has been barred from the university.
N.C. A&T said it remains committed to the “safety and security of our campus and will continue to use the emergency alert system in instances where threats are ongoing.”
Bentley appeared in court on March 27 and is scheduled to appear again on April 25.