An adjunct professor at the College of William and Mary was arrested Monday following a May 18 incident in which he allegedly brandished a firearm at a group of boys at his Williamsburg home.
Philip DeCamp, an adjunct professor of mathematics at the College, reportedly took out a gun in front of his son and about 10 of his son’s friends, who were sleeping over at DeCamp’s home for his son’s 12th birthday party.
Major Steve Rubino of the James City County Police said that the boys were reportedly making noise when DeCamp told them to be quiet and brandished a handgun. Two mothers of boys at the sleepover filed complaints with James County Child Protective Services in the days following the incident. The police and CPS then conducted a joint investigation in which they interviewed the boys and their families. Following the investigation, Rubino said that DeCamp had a consultation with the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office and was charged with four misdemeanor accounts of brandishing a firearm.
Before coming to the College in July 2003, DeCamp was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army, serving in Iraq. He retired from the Army in 2005. William and Mary News reported in a 2005 story that in April 2003, DeCamp was involved in an incident in which an American tank opened fire on a Baghdad hotel and two journalists were killed. A military investigation in August of that year cleared DeCamp and the two other soldiers involved.
DeCamp taught classes at the College last semester. He was released on summons following his arrest. Rubino said that DeCamp’s first appearance in court will be for counsel determination.
College administrators declined to comment.
