By
The Associated Press
KENT, Ohio - Kent State University has dropped plans to buy eight M-16 rifles for its police force because of student objections on the campus where National Guardsmen fired on anti-war protesters in 1970.
University President Carol Cartwright told the campus police force Thursday to find an alternative to the military rifle.
"The outpouring of comment in the last few days makes it clear that this particular rifle is not appropriate for this university," she said.
Kent State police planned to buy the M-16s from the Pentagon to replace the aging Marlin Camp 9 mm rifles that are kept in locked compartments in their patrol cars.
Students objected to the idea of a military weapon being brought to Kent State, where Guardsmen killed four students and wounded nine in 1970 during a protest against the Vietnam War.
The M-16 purchase would be "an insult to the memory of the victims of May 4, 1970," said Michelle Touve of the student-led May 4th Task Force.
About 22,000 students attend Kent State. The 31 officers on the university police force carry 9mm handguns.
