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Last updated on Wednesday, December 21, 2016
(BLOOMINGTON) - Those at Indiana University campus were urged to seek shelter after a report of a person with a gun on the campus Tuesday night.
The university posted the following message around 7:30 p.m. on social media:
"IU Bloomington Alert! A subject with a gun has been reported on the Bloomington campus near USA Apartments. If you are on campus, trust your instincts and take safe shelter in the nearest available room. Lock the door if possible. Remain in place until the police or a campus administrator known to you gives the FINAL UPDATE. Call 9 1 1 if you have information about the armed person. If you are not on campus, stay away. Follow instructions from university officials or local authorities. For available information and updates on this incident visit emergency.iu.edu"
According to IU Police Capt. Andy Stephenson, a student reported he was leaving Pine Hall when he saw a male wearing a brown jacket and holding a handgun in his right hand.
According to the student, the male attempted to hide the handgun from the complainant by placing it behind his back.
Officers arriving in the area but failed to locate the man with the gun.
However dispatchers were able to locate a male matching the description of the suspect on camera systems. The suspect was NOT holding a handgun when seen on camera. Although no weapon was seen on camera, the confirmation of the presence of an individual matching the description provided by the complainant prompted an emergency notification to alert the campus community of the potential threat.
IUPD officers searched the area, including several buildings, but no one matching the description of the male with the alleged gun was located. The original complaint was the only one received by police about the man with a gun or acting suspicious.
There were no shots fired and no reports of injuries.
Asa result, a notification update was sent indicating that, although the investigation was continuing, there was no longer an imminent threat.
During the subsequent investigation, officers identified an individual who entered Pine Hall near the time of the original complaint. Officers responded to an apartment, where the individual was identified as a non-student, who was in Pine Hall visiting a student. This individual matched the description of the suspect described by the complainant and appeared to be the individual seen on camera by IUPD dispatchers.
The individual cooperated with officers and indicated that he had been hiding a marijuana cigarette from the complainant. The individual consented to a search of his property, including his vehicle. The apartment was also searched. No weapon, and no marijuana, was found and no one was charged with a crime.
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