GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Parents of North Carolina A&T State University students have called and emailed FOX8 frustrated that university leaders waited a week to tell their children about a man with an arsenal of weapons being found on campus.
We went to the campus to get those answers.
When we stopped outside Chancellor Harold Martin’s office and the University Police Department, we were directed to the communications office. We were told they had nothing more to say, and a statement sent late yesterday was their comment.
It stated the situation was handled quickly and there were no ongoing threats to campus safety.
Parents say it was an irresponsible and selfish decision to withhold information about someone they consider a dangerous man.
“It’s reckless because, at the end of the day, they did not consider the safety. They did not consider the students as people. They did not consider the parents,” said parent Avianne Peterson.
Peterson and her brother Ian Christopher had a hard time sleeping Monday night knowing police found five guns, a machete, knives and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in a car on campus.
“It’s heart-wrenching. My heart dropped,” said Christopher
Police say Brandon Bentley was in the car. He reportedly swerved onto North Carolina A&T State University’s campus and ran right up to officers asking for help.
The 27-year-old told officers he was terrified a religious cult was trying to kidnap him and the weapons were for protection.
Tuesday, Bentley told FOX8 they were in his car because he was moving and had this to say to everyone.
“I understand their concern, and to anybody who is concerned, I want them to know I genuinely meant no threat,” said Bentley.
Christopher said, “You don’t go to your vehicle, load it up with weapons and drive to a school.”
A mother in Virginia who did not want to give her name believes the university should have handled the situation with more transparency.
“What are we as parents supposed to do when we are away from them while they are on campus?” she asked.
The university’s statement explains the situation was handled quickly, and there was no ongoing threat and, therefore, no need for a campus alert.
However, the FBI, SBI and the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms are all involved in this “ongoing investigation.”
“After further investigation, if he wasn’t a threat, that’s fine. You can be proactive and backtrack, but to be reactive and not do anything, that’s the part I’m not okay about,” said a parent.
We do know all of Bentley’s weapons were confiscated.
He is out of jail and court documents state his wife feels he is afraid for his life. It also notes he is in very dangerous mental state and a huge flight risk.
