Fraternity hosts gun safety program Demonstrations of guns used to create safety awareness By Odalis Lopez

Everybody ready? Firearms expert Robert L. Moulden asked the audience. He then fired a shotgun at a cardboard box in the classroom. Mouldens live demonstration of the power of a single blank is not your average classroom presentation. Instead of discussing gun control, Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity Inc. decided to take a different approach to this pressing issue. More than 50 students attended the Gun Safety, Identification and Awareness Presentation in Marie Mount Hall, which featured criminology and criminal justice lecturer Tom Mauriello and U.S. Department of Defense employee Moulden. Although a lot of people are talking about gun control, theres [sic] a lot of guns out there and theyre not going away soon, so we as a society need to ensure that were protecting ourselves and our families, Mauriello said.
Firearms expert Robert L. Moulden explains, identifies and demonstrates guns as spectators observe. Photo by Odalis Lopez

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Guns, p. 2 Moulden laid out an array of guns and ammunition on a table in the front of the lecture hall. In hopes of preventing accidental gun deaths and to help students identify guns in emergency situations, firearms expert Moulden explained the differences among the guns and their purposes. Gun safety awareness In addition to Mouldens presentation on gun identification, University Police Capt. Robert Mueck spoke about gun violence prevention and the universitys process of identifying potentially dangerous students. The university police use the JACA checklist, which stands for Justification, Alternatives, Consequences and Ability, to evaluate threats to the community. Students held and shot unloaded guns to experience how easily a trigger can
Display of more than 60 guns assisted in the identification presentation. Photo by Odalis Lopez

Gun education is the most important takeaway. Its the difference between life and death. -Sarosh Asadullah

go off. While some students shuttered whenever they heard a click of a trigger, others reactions showed excitement and curiosity. It was really cool holding the

guns and the event was knowledgeable, university alumna Susana Sagastizado said. (more)

Guns, p. 3 With more than 300 million firearms of all types in the United States, according to Capt. Mueck, guns are not going to vanish. The Gun Safety, Identification and Awareness Presentation provided students with resources to identify guns, safety tips and gun education. After the event, member of Lambda Theta Phi Sarosh Asadullah said, Gun education is the most important takeaway. Its the difference between life and death. To report suspicious or odd behavior, visit the Behavior Evaluation and Threat Assessment Team website at http://beta.umd.edu/. Visit Tom Mauriellos YouTube Channel, http://www.youtube.com/forensicweek/, to watch the Gun Safety, Identification and Awareness and other Forensic Week webcasts.

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