By Mia Wang
Banner News Staff Writer
A trial is set for Dec. 19 in the case involving a DMACC student who was arrested and charged with carrying a weapon on school property.
Boyang Xu, 22, of Ames was arrested at the Boone DMACC on Oct. 4. Xu’s court assigned attorney Christopher Ingberg Klein, said, “Attorney-client privilege prevents me from giving any information about this case.”
According to online records, the case’s pretrial conference was set for Nov. 11 and a jury trial is scheduled for Dec. 19, at 9 a.m.
Since the events on Oct. 4, there have been no updates on the case. During an interview, Drew Nelson, the DMACC Boone campus provost, said, “It was determined that he had no intent to hurt anybody. He was alarmed by the Las Vegas shooting that occurred on the previous weekend. He has a permit to carry. He felt unsafe and brought a gun with him to class, which was not allowed by DMACC.”
According to emails issued by Nelson on Oct. 4, the following information was shared with the campus: “Tonight at about 630pm, staff received a report of a student possibly having a gun on his person on campus. Staff immediately called 911, closed hallway doors and monitored the vicinity until police arrived.”
Nelson offered no information about the suspect’s current status, because he had not been informed.
Some people pointed out that there are no clear signs on the campus forbidding firearms on campus. Nelson responded, “There is a sign prohibiting firearms at the entryway to the campus on the south side, but it is not very visible. I talked with the human resources department and other deans about coming up with smaller stickers or signs to put on most of the doors. We do want to make sure people understand that they can’t carry or possess any firearms or weapons on campus.”
According to criminaldefenselawyer.com, possession of a weapon on a school ground is a class “D” felony in the state of Iowa, which is punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment and a fine of $750 to $7,500. (Iowa Code § 902.9.)