UPDATED: UPD Respond To Alleged Shots Fired On Campus

 

The University Police Department (UPD) has cleared the area between J.C. Kellam (JCK) and the Freeman Aquatic Biology Building after issuing an alert about possible shots fired in the area earlier this morning.

 

“We had officers make sure the whole area was secure, then once we did that, we checked the buildings around the area,” said Daniel Benitez, UPD captain. “We couldn’t find anything.”

 

Some university students saw an alert flash on projector screens during classes. Others received the alert through a text message or email. The Clery Act, a federal regulation on campus safety, requires UPD to alert the community during potential threats, Benitez said.

 

“That’s just to make sure we keep people out of that area,” Benitez said. “We felt that we couldn’t clear it out as quickly as we wanted to, so we wanted to make sure we put that out so we didn’t get anyone in that area and to make sure people were aware of it.”

 

The Freeman Aquatic Biology Building and JCK were placed under lockout, meaning a university card was required to enter the buildings, for safety, Benitez said.

 

Benitez said UPD could not confirm the source of the noise described in the call. Noises from construction or the nearby intersection could have been the cause of the concern.

 

“It could have been someone actually firing a shot,” Benitez said. “It could have been anything. But we couldn’t confirm anything at this point, so we’ll make sure we have officers driving by the area throughout the day just to make sure everything is OK.”

 

Original:

University officials responded to a Texas State Alert of possible shots fired near the Freeman Aquatic Biology and JC Kellam buildings.

An email and text message alert was sent around 9:30 this morning cautioning students to avoid the area. Several police officers were dispatched to the area. Officers could not find evidence that a shooting occurred.