RIVERSIDE, Calif. — A student at UC Riverside has been suspended after authorities found an assault rifle and ammunition in his dorm room, according to media reports Monday.
Police found an assault rifle, ammunition and five high-capacity magazines in the student’s dorm room on Friday. UC Riverside announced the student, who was not identified, was placed on interim suspension, the Riverside Press-Enterprise is reporting.
Police also found drawings in a journal depicting violent acts in the student’s dorm room, according to UC Riverside. The content of the drawings was not provided.
UC Riverside police officers executed a search warrant in the student’s dorm room after “finding evidence of a weapon” on campus. UC Riverside officials said the student is not in school and won’t be returning until an administrative hearing.
“A search of a room in the North District residential apartments revealed an assault rifle registered to a student, ammunition, five high-capacity magazines, and hand-drawn images in a journal depicting a violent act,” the school said in a statement.
The school’s policy prohibits students from possessing, using, or manufacturing a firearm.
The student was not arrested according to UC Riverside police records, and the case was sent to the Riverside County District Attorney who will decide whether to press charges.
UC Riverside officials also said the incident was not a result of “any recent campus events.” Pro-Palestinian demonstrators have set up encampments on campus and have been seen demonstrating in recent weeks.
UC Riverside Chancellor Kim Wilcox announced last week a formal agreement between the university and Students for Justice in Palestine containing concessions that led to the promise of a peaceful end to the “solidarity encampment” to protest Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip.
“I am pleased to share that we have reached an agreement that will result in the peaceful conclusion of the encampment by no later than midnight tonight,” Wilcox said late Friday morning. “(The) agreement ... will be carried out consistent with state and federal law. It has been my goal to resolve this matter peacefully, and I am encouraged by this outcome — which was generated through constructive dialogue.”
Wilcox emphasized that UCR “values students’ right to practice peaceful free speech.”
“This agreement does not change the realities of the war in Gaza ... However, I am grateful that we can have constructive and peaceful conversations on how to address these complex issues,” he said, citing “antisemitism and Islamaphobia” as ongoing concerns.
The agreement spelled out a brief list of actions now on the front- burner for campus administrators, the Academic Senate and Associated Students of UCR generally.
The UC Riverside administration came to an agreement with pro-Palestinian protesters on Friday to shut down an encampment that was established on the campus April 29.