Matthew Mueller, from right, and SMU freshman Grace Mueller stand among other George W. Bush supporters outside of the former president’s Preston Hollow home in North Dallas Sunday evening after news broke of the killing of terrorist Osama Bin Laden. (MICHAEL DANSER/The Daily Campus)
Students around the SMU campus gathered around TVs and computers with the rest of Americans Sunday night as President Barack Obama announced the death of Osama bin Laden.
Bin Laden was killed in a U.S.-led operation at a compound in Pakistan, according to the Associated Press.
“Justice has been done,” Obama said.
SMU students celebrated with posts on Twitter and Facebook. Student Body President Austin Prentice tweeted, “One nation, under God,” while Annie Bures tweeted, “Planning my red, white, and blue outfit for tomorrow! Join in to celebrate the accomplishments of our troops oversees and Osama’s death!”
Senior Zainab Farzal was in Cockrell-McIntosh Hall studying with other students when she heard of Obama’s announcement through Twitter.
“Honestly, I think the biggest thing was disbelief in my mind,” she said. “It’s kind of a relief. It’s one of those things we’ve been pursuing for so long without results.”
Freshman Andy Fisher was also in Cockrell-McIntosh studying as people passed him, asking if he had heard the news.
“I had forgotten all about it [the search for bin Laden],” he said. “It’s not really talked about very much; I felt like it was kind of lost.”
Fisher also mentioned that the news of bin Laden’s death made him immediately think of his fourth grade class in Houston on Sept. 11, 2001.
“I remember my teacher telling the class about it and a lot of people getting pulled out of class that day,” he said.
Some students had posts on Facebook similar to, “America!!!” Responses like these are unsurprising to Fisher.
“I think there’s probably going to be a whole lot of immature response to it,” he said.
Bin Laden’s death comes at a time that is perceived as inconvenient to students like Freshman Matt Schklair, whose initial response to the news was, “Cool.”
“I had work to do. I mean, U-S-A, U-S-A; but I’ve got work to do right now,” he said. “I’ve got finals.”
Former President George W. Bush released a statement saying, “The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done.”
SMU students sit inside of Mac’s Place Sunday evening watching as President Barrack Obama announces on national television that Sept. 11 terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden was killed by a U.S. military team Sunday in the country of Pakistan. (RICHARD BRAXTON/ The Daily Campus)
Residents of the Cockrell-McIntosh Residence Hall watch as President Obama announces the death of Sept. 11 terrorist mastermind Osama Bin Laden Sunday evening on national television. (TAYLOR HENRY/The Daily Campus)
