After two students were arrested over a handgun in a Grambling State dorm room Wednesday, two more men were booked Friday in possession of firearms in separate incidents.
Just after 11:30 p.m. Thursday night, two GSU police officers were performing a walk-through at Douglass Hall when they encountered four men on the second floor. Clifford T. Williams, II, 28, and another man were asked to leave the campus.
Williams went down the stairs but stopped to talk to some students. Officers saw him constantly pulling on his shirt like he was trying to cover something in front of his pants. He was directed again to leave the campus. After he walked away, two female students told the officers they were afraid because Williams had a gun in the front of his pants. Officers found a single 9mm cartridge lying on the ground where Williams had been standing.
GSU officers contacted Williams again as he was attempting to leave in a SUV. He was asked to get out of the vehicle. At that time, Williams told officers he had a weapon. A Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol was retrieved from the door pocket of the SUV. Williams said he had the gun “for protection.”
Williams was arrested by Sgt. James Morgan and Officer Sketea Walker and booked at the Lincoln Parish Detention Center for possession of a firearm on school property. An additional charge of illegal possession of a stolen firearm was added when confirmation was received that the 9mm pistol was stolen. Bail was set at $20,000.
Shortly after 9:00 p.m. Friday night, Morgan and Walker were again patrolling on foot when they saw two men walking between Bowen and Garner Halls. When asked for their student ID cards, both stated they were not students. Anthony Bass, 20, of Grambling, attempted to run but Morgan was able to grab him by the arm to detain him.
While struggling with the officer, Bass allegedly tried to insert his hand in his front pocket. While Morgan restrained him, Officer Sketea Walker retrieved a Taurus 9mm pistol from the pocket.
A records check showed the pistol was stolen and that Bass had numerous warrants through other agencies.
He was booked at the detention center for possession of a firearm on school property, resisting an officer, illegal possession of a stolen firearm, unlawful disruption of the operation of a school, and the warrants from other agencies. The nature of those warrants was not immediately available.
Bass’s bail was set at $106,500.
Friday’s arrests follow Wednesday’s incident where a GSU staff member saw a pistol in a dorm room. That investigation led to the arrest of Cameron Davis, 20, for possession of marijuana and Jerome Walker, 22, for carrying a firearm on school property.
Most of the firearms charges at GSU in the past year have arisen from proactive efforts of GSU Police checking out persons who did not appear to be students loitering around the campus.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
