A 21-year-old university student in Florida has been arrested after authorities discovered an AR-15 rifle and a large cache of ammunition inside his campus accommodation, sparking alarm amongst the student body.
Weapons Cache Uncovered in Campus Search
Constantine Demetriades, a senior at Rollins College in Winter Park, was taken into custody last Wednesday. The arrest followed a report to campus safety officials that the student had ordered a significant quantity of ammunition online for delivery directly to his dormitory.
Acting on this information, police conducted a search of Demetriades' room. They located an unloaded AR-15 rifle stored in an unsecured black carrying case under his bed. The case contained one loaded magazine and five empty ones. Officers also seized a black tactical vest, ear protection, and a pistol storage case during the operation.
Student Claims Firearm was for Hobby
According to the arrest affidavit, Demetriades explained to investigators that he had just returned from the Thanksgiving holiday in New Jersey, where he said the firearm was purchased legally. He stated that shooting was a hobby and he usually stored the rifle at a friend's off-campus home.
The student reportedly told police he did not have bad intentions and was unaware that possessing ammunition on campus was against the law, despite knowing firearms were prohibited. He also acknowledged that his New Jersey concealed carry permit was not valid in Florida.
While Florida is an open-carry state, Rollins College, like most educational institutions, explicitly bans weapons on its property.
Campus Reaction and Official Response
Fellow students expressed shock and concern upon learning of the incident. "I'm happy they've found it because I've seen him around campus, and if they didn't do anything about it, I'd personally fear for my safety," one student told local media. Another remarked, "It's crazy, it shocked me."
In an official statement, Rollins College confirmed it received a report of a weapons policy violation on Wednesday and immediately launched an investigation. "We quickly identified and contacted the student, who cooperated fully with College officials and local law enforcement," the statement read. It confirmed Demetriades was arrested without incident and is not permitted to be on campus while the student conduct process proceeds.
Demetriades was booked on a charge of possession of a firearm on school property and transferred to the Winter Park Police Department. The investigation revealed he had ordered approximately 1,500 rounds of ammunition to be delivered to his dorm address.
