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‘Suspect no longer in the vicinity’: UMass Lowell lifts shelter in place order hours after person with gun reported on campus
UMass Lowell public safety officials sent a text blast to school community members alerting them to a “weapons incident” reported at Riverside Suites on South Campus.
The University of Massachusetts Lowell lifted a shelter in place order Wednesday evening that was implemented after reports of a person on campus carrying a gun.
“Based on a search and investigation, law enforcement partners believe the suspect is no longer in the vicinity. A large police presence is being maintained on campus, and officers will be stationed at all residence halls overnight,” the school wrote in a text to the school community just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
The UMass Lowell Police Department said Wednesday night it is still investigating the incident and actively looking for the person involved.
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The Lowell Police Department, State Police, the Northeastern Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council‘s SWAT team, UMass Lowell police, law enforcement rangers from the Lowell National Historical Park, and members of the FBI and ATF all responded, Lowell police said in a press release. Law enforcement deployed a police drone and State Police’s Air Wing, officials said.
“At no time was this an active shooter situation and there is no evidence of shots fired,” the department wrote.
UMass Lowell spent three hours in lockdown
At 2:37 p.m. Wednesday, UMass Lowell public safety officials sent a text blast to school community members alerting them to a “weapons incident” reported at Riverside Suites on South Campus.
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“AVOID AREA. STAY INSIDE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. RUN, HIDE, FIGHT,” the text chain read in part, according to screenshots shared with Boston.com.
Lowell police are looking for a 5’5″ Asian male wearing a gray or white sweatshirt and black shorts who was seen behind the Riverside Suites carrying a “long weapon,” the school said in a follow-up alert.
“Police from UMass Lowell and the city of Lowell were alerted this afternoon to reports of a male on South Campus carrying an object suspected of being a firearm. A campus-wide shelter in place order has been issued as officers attempt to find this individual,” a university spokesperson said in an email just before 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Video that circulated on social media appears to show a person walking down a path behind a residential building while aiming a rifle-style gun.
There were not reports of a shooting, the university said Wednesday evening.
All classes and other events were canceled for the rest of the day, the school said.
Lowell Public School students could see travel delays
Lowell Public Schools said students who ride buses home might be delayed because of police activity rerouting traffic, with the area between Marginal Street and the Lowell Humane Society locked down. Any student unable to access their bus stop because of police activity will be brought to Moody Elementary School, the district said on social media.
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As of Wednesday afternoon, students from the Stoklosa Middle School and Bartlett Community Partnership School cross country teams were “safely sheltering inside their schools,” the district wrote.
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