After a near fatal shooting and an armed robbery in JMU off-campus apartments this weekend, students aren’t feeling like their stuck in a college bubble anymore.

On Saturday night, 19-year-old Liberty University student Reginald “Shay” Nicholson was shot in front of a Hunters Ridge apartment.

According to witnesses, gang members entered a party and started doing “gang-related things.” I’m not sure what this consists of and JMU’s The Breeze doesn’t make it quite clear, but it can’t be very comforting.

Following an argument, three shots were fired by the suspects—one of which hit Nicholson, who was hiding behind a truck at the time.

Initially in critical condition at the University of Virginia’s medical center, the victim has now been stabilized.

As a frequent visitor of the apartment complex that this occurred at, this not only increases my fears that were already in place, but also creates new ones in my mind.

That same night, a couple of hours earlier, an armed robbery occurred on Port Republic Road (walking distance within the shooting).

Three males wearing dark hooded sweatshirts, ski masks, and gloves forced their way into an apartment, stealing money as well as other items. Luckily, no one was injured in this incident, but one of the suspects was in fact armed.

After months of gang hysteria rushing through Harrisonburg, it was finally realized this weekend more than any other. Hopefully, this is the last of them though.

To avoid similar future conflicts students should avoid walking at night, walk in numbers, and as corny as it sounds, avoid talking to strangers.