Campus police on ‘heightened alert’ after shooting rumors

Michael Shipma 

Sports Editor

Tori Bedsole

Features Editor

Sable Riley

Editor-in-chief

Dean of Student Services Herbert Reeves sent out a school-wide email at 9:41 a.m. on Thursday, indicating that an unidentified person “has started a rumor” of a shooting on Troy’s campus to take place later in the day.

In the email, Reeves stated that “there is no reason to believe there is any substance to this rumor,” and that “Campus Police and City of Troy Police Department will be increasing police presence on the campus throughout the day.”

Tropolitan reporters surveyed the campus to verify the increased police presence. One City of Troy police car was seen patrolling University Avenue and a University police truck was seen outside Adams building with yellow caution lights on. Another university police car and two city police were seen stationed behind Trojan Dining Hall.

University police truck in front of front of the quad-side entrance of Adam’s Administration building. / (Michael Shipma photo)

Police Chief John McCall said a shooting threat was found in the form of a note on a bathroom wall in a building on campus that said it would take place today, on Thursday, Sept. 21.

McCall said the campus police have been informed of the threat for weeks and have spoken to many students who claimed to have first-hand knowledge of other threatening notes via social media, but later admitted they were lying.

McCall said campus police are at a “heightened alert” and are being “vigilant” through the remainder of the day.

Some professors are talking to students and locking classroom doors to make students feel safe, student sources are saying.

We will continue to update this story throughout the day as we receive more information.