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Student expelled after 2 guns found in dorm room

Dominic Asoluka, who is now a former Johnson C. Smith University student, was expelled after police said two handguns and ammo were found inside his dorm room last Thursday.

Someone called in a complaint about an odor coming from the 24-year-old’s dorm room at Mosaic Residence Hall, which is just off the main campus, according to a court affidavit.

A resident assistant was doing a routine check and found a gun.

The RA called the police immediately, who found the handguns, a loaded .22 caliber Heritage revolver and an unloaded .9 mm Canik, and a box full of ammunition.

“There’s always the what-ifs, but we pride ourselves on being proactive,” said Lt. Roy House, with the campus police.

He credits the RA for seeing something and saying something.

“I commend them on the work that they did,” House said. “They really did us a good favor -- the whole university a good favor.”

There is no reason to believe that there was any sort of plan to use the weapons, according to investigators.

“None that’s come to light,” House said.

Students were shocked to hear about the arrest.

“I think that’s outrageous and really undermines the safety of the students,” said student senior Jordan Baker.

A case like this is rare for JCSU.

The university reported no arrests in 2022 for weapons violations, according to last year’s campus safety report.

In 2021, there were two arrests for carrying or possessing a weapon on campus.

In 2020, there were three arrests.

All of them happened in residence halls.

House is thankful their process worked and hopes it sends a message.

“We do not want weapons on our campus,” he said.

Asoluka was charged with two counts of having a gun on educational property.

He bonded out of jail.


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Hunter Sáenz

Hunter Sáenz, wsoctv.com

Hunter is a reporter for Channel 9.

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