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JACKSONVILLE - The parents of an Edward Waters College student fatally shot on campus are suing the school, claiming his death was the result of inadequate security.
Johnathan Glenn, an 18-year-old business major from Chicago, was shot several times on April 29 by a person who demanded his basketball jersey. No arrests have been made.
The Circuit Court suit by Booker and Essy Glenn claims Edward Waters officials misrepresented a crime-ridden campus and neighborhood as safe.
"This is outrageous considering the rampant crime that has occurred both on campus and in the surrounding area," said attorney Larry Moskowitz, representing the Glenns.
After the slaying, the president of the historically black college, Jimmy R. Jenkins Sr., said the school had been making improvements to security, and "I think this college is as safe as any college campus in America."
But the Glenns' attorneys said video monitoring cameras at Edward Waters have been inoperable for several years. The suit also points to an insufficient number of security guards, inadequate lighting and a lack of warnings and says the college has failed to erect fencing, walls or gates to prevent surrounding neighborhood crime from penetrating the campus.
The day before his death, Johnathan Glenn submitted a paper to a professor, stating, "These last two semesters, safety procedures have not been effective on campus, and it has terrified the students."
The private college of 1,300 students was founded in 1866 to offer newly freed slaves an education. It is affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Paul Howell, vice president for institutional advancement, said he had not seen the lawsuit and would not comment.