Police converged on the University of Tennessee at Knoxville campus at 1 p.m. Aug. 25 on reports of a gunman at Hodges Library, but found no threat. A university spokesperson and Knoxville police told Knox News it turned out to be a false report, one of four at three universities across the country beginning Aug. 21.
"At about 1 p.m., Knoxville Police received a single phone call of an individual with a weapon at Hodges Library," UT spokesperson Kerry Gardner told Knox News. "University of Tennessee Police were on scene in less than one minute, along with Knoxville Police. Officers on scene, and UTPD review of cameras in and around the library, revealed there was no actual threat. Law enforcement searched the building as a precaution, and again, no threat was found, and no injuries were reported."
UT officials did not send a campuswide alert.
"We have a robust camera system on campus, and UTPD was able to look at video in and around the library immediately and in real time," Gardner told Knox News. "Officers were on scene in less than a minute. It was clear the whole time that this was a hoax. UTPD is working with the FBI to investigate the false call."
Knoxville police confirmed the call of a man with a gun and shots fired at Hodges Library appear to be false.
"There is no evidence of an active threat or that a shooting occurred. Efforts to identify the source of the call are ongoing," the department posed on social media.
The University of Tennessee Police Department said its officers were on scene in less than a minute and immediately started reviewing camera footage. The building was searched and no threat was found.
Student Keano Arnett said he was walking out of the Art and Architecture Building when he saw two police officers holding rifles. He didn't know what was going on, but alerted his friends via a group chat that police were on campus who appeared to be "looking for somebody."
"I tried to come through the second-floor doors (of Hodges Library) and there was a cop standing in the door with an AR and he said, ‘Hey don’t come in here until we figure out what’s going on.,’" Arnett said.
He was able to enter the library at 1:38 p.m.
False reports of active shooters on college campuses have been reported in recent days at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Aug. 21, Villanova University on Aug. 21 and Aug. 25, the University of South Carolina on Aug. 24.
Police responded to a report at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville of a gunman near the library, and officers were searching the building as of 1:45 p.m. EDT.
The Iowa State University Police Department said earlier today the reports of an active shooter on that campus were false.
"Officers responded promptly this morning after receiving several calls and found no credible threat," the department said.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: University of Tennessee says campus safe after false threat of gunman
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