SALISBURY, N.C. — Livingstone College officials and the Salisbury Police Department say they are one step closer to an arrest after a string of burglaries at the College Park Apartments.
“The safety and well-being of our students is not just a priority, it is a responsibility we carry with urgency and care every single day,” said Livingstone President Anthony Davis.
They said they have 12 felony warrants out for Xavier Shykeem Simpson linked to break-ins at an off-campus student housing complex over winter break.
They said they are not providing a picture of Simpson at this time because he is not in custody, but say this is not his first run in with law enforcement.
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Chief Patrick Smith says the evidence Simpson left behind is what led to his identification.
“The fingerprint is what, along with video surveillance from Livingstone, is what broke the case wide open,” the chief said.
Ramaj Parker is a student at Livingstone. He lives on campus, but says he was still a little worried when he heard about the break-ins.
“That made me feel a little, a little nervous, just a little bit,” Parker said.
Now heading into his sophomore year, he’s eager for the case to be closed so students can relax.
“You never know, like, who could just be walking amongst you at any time,” said Parker. “So, I’m pretty interested to see who it was.”
These break-ins happened while most students were off campus for Christmas break.
Livingstone’s president wants students and their families to feel confident in their safety and says they have taken safety precautions to enhance security like:
- Reinforcing structural security measures across affected properties
- Upgrading surveillance and monitoring systems
- Installing peep holes, new locks, and the issuance of new keys
- Expanding coordination with the local law enforcement
They are hoping for an arrest in the case in the coming days.