The consequences of the brutal murder of four college students in Moscow, Idaho, Nov. 13 2022 can still be felt on college campuses across the nation as students are on high alert.

Kent State Police Sergeant Tricia Knoles has five daughters of her own, two of them students at the university. As a mother, Knoles described the situation from a parent’s point of view as alarming.

“A lot of the pictures or TikTok videos that have been recently on the news are very comparable to my daughters,” Knoles said. “It’s a scary situation.”

But Knoles said there are steps that one can take to secure their safety, especially in off-campus housing.

“Being aware of your surroundings is huge,” Knoles said. “If you see something suspicious that just doesn’t seem right, feel free to call the police department and they will come and check it out for you.”

Many students have followed the case closely, including sophomore fashion merchandising major Kristina Kemp. She said the incident has students thinking more about their safety.

“The situation has made me realize that awful things can really happen to anybody,” Kemp said. “It has made me a little more conscious of basic safety measurements I can take.”

Kent State’s police department offers various programming events to inform students about safety on campus, including the department’s annual Safety Walk. The walk consists of members of the police department, university architects and electricians going through campus and inspecting areas of concern that may need more lighting at night.

Knoles recommends students to look into martial arts rather than a self defense class to add an extra layer to their safety routine. She said with one self defense class, students are not going to be practicing weekly and likely will forget what they learned within a month.

“I recommend taking martial arts,” Knoles said. “You’re practicing two to three times a week, and you build muscle memory.”

With Kent State being ranked number one in Ohio for campus safety, Knoles said she believes campus is safe and her department takes pride in making sure students and faculty feel that way.

But Knoles does warn students to always go with their gut.

“Crime can happen anywhere,” Knoles said.

Clara Wicinski is a reporter. Contact her at [email protected].