photo by: Sara Marshall

Campus police are reminding students this week to avoid wild animals that may wander onto campus. This on the heels of a freak alligator attack outside the Lady Athlete’s Dorm. Simone Hawthorn was sent on a Life-flight helicopter ride to Houston’s Medical Center after a she was found unconscious, bleeding profusely, and missing her left leg from below the knee. The quick thinking of a Residence Adviser slowed the bleeding enough to save Hawthorn’s life.

“Safety is really a big deal here,” said RA LaTrisha White. “Every month the Student Life office makes all RAs go through crisis training. It’s come in handy more than once.”

Campus police blame Hawthorn’s injury on an alligator driven onto campus in search of water.

“As you know, most of Texas is entering the Summer already in a state of severe drought. These alligators who used to be fat and happy in a little bayou or creek up in the Thicket are finding their habitats drying up. Unfortunately, sometimes they wander onto campus and a tragedy like this happens,” said Game Warden Jim Seavers.

So far, authorities have been unable to locate the alligator that attacked Hawthorn.