As the search for a missing student who may be armed stretched into a third day, Washington College in Maryland has decided to keep the campus closed through Thanksgiving week.
Overnight Sunday, 19-year-old Jacob Marberger abruptly left the campus on the Eastern Shore, drove to his parents' home outside of Philadelphia, and took a gun case and possibly a rifle. He left around 4 a.m. Monday without talking to anyone.
Marberger's parents called Washington College early Monday, and the campus went on lockdown. It briefly reopened Tuesday morning before school officials called off classes until further notice. Students who live on-campus checked out of their dorms and either went to their parents' homes or made other arrangements.
On Wednesday, school officials said they expect campus will remain closed until Sunday, Nov. 29, with classes to resume the following day.
"Following the difficult events of the past few days, Washington College will be canceling classes this week and the week of Thanksgiving Break," school officials said in an update Wednesday afternoon.
"All residential students have either returned home or been taken in by members of the campus and Chestertown community. We are deeply grateful to the faculty, staff, and residents of Chestertown for opening their homes and their hearts to dozens of our students," the statement continued.
A warrant is out for Marberger's arrest on four misdemeanor weapons-related charges, and the FBI has joined in the search for him.
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Since Marberger disappeared, he hasn't answered phone calls, but investigators say surveillance video showed him buying five rounds of ammunition inside a Wal-Mart in Hamburg, Pennsylvania, about three hours north of his college campus on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
School administrators said Marberger, a sophomore, had made no direct threats. However, he had been recently suspended for showing off an antique rifle on campus in early October, two days after he was the victim of a prank by other students.
Marberger's distraught parents asked the school for a copy of their son's last known communication, an email to college officials that included his letter of resignation from his position as speaker of the student senate.
Marberger wrote:
"Senators and members of the Washington College community,
I first and foremost wish to apologize for my failures in conduct and behavior. What I have done is unacceptable and something I gravely regret. It does not suit a leader and representative of this fine campus to be engaging in such things that threaten and sully stability here at Washington. For this I am deeply sorry.
As such, I step down from my position as Speaker and hope to pass it onto another more tempered and capable individual who will do you all well.
I hope that my transgression has not been enough to completely obscure what I had hoped to provide by holding this position. Student government has been a great passion of mine and I hope you can all recognize that in SGA business I always put my best foot forward and strove to get the most out of the group we have here.
It was a pleasure to have had the opportunity to work with every one of you, and I wish to make clear that this situation should not reflect on any of the members of the executive or review boards. They are all honest, competent, and wonderful examples of student leadership -- this was my own failure.
I hope that I can receive your forgiveness.
Thank you, are there any motions on the floor?"
Investigators believe Marberger's resignation may have pushed him too far, emotionally.
Friends in Pennsylvania planned a vigil for Wednesday night to support his family.
