Constantine Demetriades, a 21-year-old student at Rollins College, was arrested on suspicion of possessing an AR-15 rifle in his dorm room.
Demetriades faces up to five years in prison after campus security discovered an online order to deliver ammunition to his on-campus apartment, and police searched his bedroom and found an AR-15, a tactical vest and multiple knives.
“I think it did make me feel a little unsafe,” Rollins College student Jesse Arsenault said.
Demetriades has been on the rowing team since his freshman year and has won medals in the sport, according to a Winter Park police report. He told police he knew his concealed carry permit from New Jersey was not valid in Florida and admitted he shouldn’t have been able to carry a gun on campus.
He explained to police that he usually stored the gun with a friend who lived off campus, but after returning from Thanksgiving break around 3 a.m., he decided to bring the gun back to his dormitory.
Demetriades told police he traveled to New Jersey with a gun “because he enjoyed shooting as a hobby,” according to police.
He also told police that “he meant no harm and worked as an armed security guard at a club in downtown Orlando.”
Rollins College, a private campus with a no-gun policy, said Demetriades is facing student conduct proceedings and cannot be on campus until the matter is resolved.
The incident raised concerns among students about campus safety, as Rollins College enforces a strict gun-free policy to maintain a violence-free environment.
A spokesperson sent Channel 9 the following statement:
“On Wednesday, the college received a report indicating a violation of our weapons policy. Upon receiving this information, we immediately launched an investigation. We quickly located and contacted the student, who fully cooperated with college officials and local law enforcement as we further investigated the matter. The student has been arrested and is not permitted on campus while we continue our student conduct procedures.”
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