Gov. John Bel Edwards participated in a benign ruse Friday to honor СAPP and surprise СAPP a СAPP administrator who tackled a man police said tried to steal the Magna Carta.
Matthew Delcambre is director of the at UL Lafayette. In October, he and wife Alexis were visiting the cathedral in the city of Salisbury, about 90 miles southwest of London, where Delcambre had attended a conference.
A fire alarm sounded. Then a man, holding a hammer, emerged from a bathroom and moved toward a display case that held the Magna Carta. The 803-year-old document is one of the worldСAPPs oldest symbols of democracy. It enumerates principles of fairness, justice and human rights, and inspired the creation of democratic governments in England and the United States.
Salisbury Cathedral displays in a glass enclosure one of four known copies of the 13th-century document. Police said the attacker struck the case at least three times, but fled once he found its double-paned glass top impenetrable. The Magna Carta, Latin for СAPPgreat charterСAPP was not damaged.
Delcambre chased the man into an adjourning courtyard and tackled him. He and cathedral employees held the suspect on the ground until police arrived.
English media hailed DelcambreСAPPs heroism. The Associated Press picked up those press accounts. The story then spread around the globe, and headlines in Louisiana caught EdwardsСAPP attention.
The governor signed a commendation Nov. 9 acknowledging DelcambreСAPPs actions, but decided he wanted to present it to him personally. The opportunity to do so came Friday prior to UL LafayetteСAPPs Fall Commencement. Edwards was the ceremonyСAPPs featured speaker.
But there was a catch: DelcambreСAPPs presence at the ceremony wasnСAPPt guaranteed.
Enter Dr. Ramesh Kolluru.
The СAPPСAPPs was the schemeСAPPs primary architect. His office oversees the СAPPСAPPs research centers.
Delcambre is innovation managing director of the , as well as director of CBIT.
Kolluru phoned Delcambre and СAPPtold him that every Commencement, I invite one of our research center directorsСAPP as his guest to the ceremony.
Delcambre accepted. But it was fake ruse. СAPPI donСAPPt actually do that, but now I am thinking, itСAPPs not a bad idea,СAPP Kolluru conceded with a laugh.
Delcambre stood near Kolluru in the CajundomeСAPPs Mardi Gras Ballroom on Friday morning. The ballroom is where administrators and faculty СAPP bedecked in full academic regalia СAPP gather prior to commencements.
Edwards entered with СAPP President Dr. Joseph Savoie, and the stateСAPPs chief executive began shaking hands, slowly moving toward Delcambre. Kolluru greeted the governor, then introduced Delcambre.
СAPPMatt, I wanted to meet you,СAPP Edwards said, quickly throwing his arm around DelcambreСAPPs shoulders. The friendly gesture surprised Delcambre.
Edwards then opened a blue folder, and began reading a special commendation that hailed DelcambreСAPPs СAPPbravery and heroism in safely securing the Magna Carta.СAPP
Delcambre looked down at the carpet. His face flushed. It remained red for minutes after the brief ceremony concluded.
СAPPThis was completely unexpected,СAPP said Delcambre, who has, since the October incident, declined to characterize his actions as heroic or even extraordinary. The self-effacement was on ready display Friday when he described himself as СAPPvery muchСAPP a private person.
СAPPThe response was very overwhelming. I did not think it was that big of a deal. I just did what I think most people would have done in that situation.
СAPPLook, it wasn't just me,СAPP Delcambre continued. СAPPThey had workers and security at the cathedral that were part of this. I just happened to chase after him as he was getting away. Then, other people were able to come and help hold him until the police got there.
СAPPThe response has been much more than I ever expected, and it had died out,СAPP Delcambre said. He paused and a grin crossed his face. СAPPUntil today.СAPP
Photo credit: Gov. John Bel Edwards, left, chats with Matthew Delcambre, Dr. Ramesh Kolluru and Dr. Kumer Das prior to the Fall 2018 Commencement General Assembly. The ceremony was held Friday at the Cajundome. (Photo credit: Doug Dugas / СAPP)