Police declare ‘no evidence of threat’ on campus after report of gunman

Employees express concerns about notification

The west entrance to Jayhawk Boulevard at Kansas University was closed by police officers on Friday morning after a KU employee reported seeing a man with a rifle on the campus.

KU’s web site

Officials declared today there was “no evidence of any threat” at Kansas University campus, nearly two hours after an unconfirmed report of a gunman.

The declaration was made at 10:50 a.m.

“Everyone on campus is advised to return to normal operations,” university spokesman Todd Cohen said in an e-mail to media.

The report came after law enforcement from across Lawrence searched several buildings on Kansas University campus, following a report this morning that someone saw a man carrying a rifle. KU Public Safety, Lawrence Police and Douglas County Sheriff’s deputies were all on the scene.

Only one person saw the alleged rifle-carrier, officials said; there was no second report to confirm.

Officers initially concentrated their search on Wescoe Hall, but were broadening their effort shortly before 10 a.m. Shortly after 10 a.m., officers said they had also cleared Budig Hall. Traffic was still being allowed to move through campus, however. At 10:30, officials said Wescoe, Malott, Budig and Watkins Health Center had been cleared.

Adrienne Sanders, an employee at Watson Library, said personnel on campus had heard nothing about the search, except what they saw on LJWorld.com.

“Nothing,” she said. “I heard it through the grapevine.”

She expressed frustration that KU had not activated its new alert system to warn people of the possible emergency.

“I think it’s pretty lame,” she said. “Even though I think it’s probably something to do with an umbrella.”

But university spokesman Todd Cohen said officials sent an e-mail out around 10:10 a.m.

“The text messaging system isn’t working yet,” he said. “We’re still collecting” phone numbers.

Lawrence Police Chief Ron Olin said a university employee saw the man with the gun, and called 911 at 9:20 a.m. The search was concentrated on the area behind Stauffer-Flint, and access to that area was restricted.

By midmorning, KU put this announcement on its Web site:

“KU Public Safety has received an unconfirmed report of a man carrying a rifle near Wescoe Hall. KU and Lawrence police have responded to the area and are conducting a perimeter search. Repeat- this is an unconfirmed report.

“The campus is not in lockdown but if you see any suspicious behavior on campus, call 911 immediately. If you are in the central campus area, please remain indoors until further notice. “

The same message was contained in an e-mail sent to students and staff at 10:42 a.m.

At 10:48 a.m., officers were notified to tell building occupants once their buildings had been deemed safe.

Library response

At around 9:45 a.m., libraries across KU’s campus went into lockdown mode. Assistant Dean of Libraries Kent Miller said that doors into the libraries were locked and staff was standing by to let people in and out.

A little after 11 a.m., after campus police said the search was completed, the doors were unlocked,

Miller said the provost office advised that it was up to the discretion of the occupants of each building if they wanted to go into lockdown mode.

Because of the complicated nature of the campus libraries – which include Watson, Spencer Research, Anschutz, Arts & Architecture, Engineering, Music and Dance libraries – the department decided to secure the buildings.

“It was discretionary on our part whether to secure our building and it seemed like the prudent thing to do,” Miller said. Rebecca Smith, public relations director for University Libraries, said that they had not received text messages or e-mails about the incident, but a KU public safety alert was left on office phones at around 10:30 a.m.

Copy of KU’s alert email

From: owner-STUDENT01-L@listproc.cc.ku.edu on behalf of EBSKUSent: Fri 6/1/2007 10:42 AMTo: student01-l – All KU Students; kulsfa-l – KU Lawrence Staff, Faculty and AffiliatesSubject: SAFETY ALERT

SAFETY ALERT

KU PUBLIC SAFETY HAS RECEIVED AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT OF A MAN CARRYING A RIFLE NEAR WESCOE HALL. KU AND LAWRENCE POLICE HAVE RESPONDED TO THE AREA AND ARE CONDUCTING A PERMETER SEARCH. REPEAT- THIS IS AN UNCONFIRMED REPORT.

THE CAMPUS IS NOT IN LOCKDOWN BUT IF YOU SEE ANY SUSPICIOUS BEHAVIOR ON CAMPUS, CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY. IF YOU ARE IN THE CENTRAL CAMPUS AREA, PLEASE REMAIN INDOORS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.