Police at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville have issued an alert regarding a potential ‘active shooter’ on campus today. The alert was prompted by reports of a gun at Shannon Library, but subsequent investigations by officers revealed no signs of an attack.
Officials have confirmed that normal campus activities can now resume, and an inquiry into the false report has been initiated. The University of Virginia has issued an ‘all clear’ following earlier concerns about a potential shooter on campus. Police found no evidence of an attack or threat, leading to the initiation of an investigation into the false alarm.
Assistance from the Charlottesville police and fire departments is being provided to campus police as they conduct their investigation. Kyle Ervin, a spokesperson for the city of Charlottesville, confirmed this collaboration.
The safety protocol known as “run-hide-fight” or “run-hide-tell” is a guideline aimed at assisting individuals in surviving active shooter or violent intruder scenarios in the US. Developed by the City of Houston in the early 2010s, this protocol has garnered endorsement from federal agencies, including the US Department of Homeland Security and the FBI.
According to the University of Virginia, police are currently present at Shannon Library and are actively investigating the situation following an emergency alert that warned of an “active attacker” with a gun reported in the vicinity of the library. While authorities have found no evidence of an active attacker so far, they have advised students and staff to adhere to the safety protocol. An update was provided at 3:41 pm local time.
The initial emergency alert issued by the UVA’s Department of Safety and Security at approximately 3:05 pm local time warned of an “ACTIVE ATTACKER with a gun reported in the area of Shannon Library.” Brian Coy, a university spokesperson, stated to USA TODAY that there is currently no evidence of an attack, and investigations are ongoing.
In summary, an ‘active attacker’ situation has been reported at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville following the sighting of a gun near Shannon Library.
