Vanguard

Issue date: 10/22/07 Section: News

On Oct. 6, Eldrick Sneed and Alexis Bell walked into a Beta dormitory, both carrying Glock handguns. According to a witness who wishes to remain anonymous, the incident occurred around 4:00 a.m. The witness stated that she saw the two men holding the weapons in the air as they entered the building.
The witness immediately went into her own dorm and called police. She then heard three shots fired. Numerous sources have stated that the conflict involved an ex-girlfriend of Sneed. However, police later found that Bell was the one that fired the rounds.
Both students were seniors living in The Grove apartments and of MS IV ranking in the Army ROTC program at the University of South Alabama, according to Lieutenant Colonel Oakland McCulloch, professor of military science at USA.
McCulloch went on to say that he would have never expected this sort of thing out of either of the students. They were both exceptional cadets in the program, and they were both scheduled to graduate this coming spring. They had also already been contracted to serve. If they would have graduated, they would have entered the Army as second lieutenants.
As a result of the incident, Bell was arrested for discharging a firearm on university property, a Class C felony. Sneed has been banned from the University for one year; his case will be reviewed and a decision will be made as to whether or not he should be allowed to come back, according to McCulloch.
ROTC cadets of MS IV ranking who cannot complete the program are contractually obligated to serve in the Army as enlisted men for four years.
The case of Bell, however, presents a unique problem for the Army in that the military does not accept convicted felons, and Bell has been charged with a felony.
If convicted, Army rules would bar him from serving in the service in any capacity. McCulloch has stated that the entire situation is out of his hands at this point and is awaiting word from the Army.

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