COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — On Sunday, students at the University of South Carolina were advised to stay indoors as police looked into an unverified claim of an active shooter near a library on the primary campus in Columbia. Authorities reported no evidence confirming a shooter’s presence, and there were no immediate indications of gunfire.
The university issued a notice about a potential shooter just after 6:45 p.m., instructing students to vacate the vicinity of the Thomas Cooper Library, find shelter, and secure themselves if needed. A subsequent message clarified there was no evidence of an active shooter “currently. Police are examining the relevant buildings. Please remain sheltered until an all-clear is announced.”
University representative Jeff Stensland stated that the initial alert “was issued with great caution,” and that law enforcement was methodically sweeping through the library, floor by floor, “to ensure safety, we’re thoroughly inspecting the library.”
Stensland said there were no injuries.
Approximately 38,000 students attend the school in the heart of the city that’s home to nearly 145,000 people.
These alerts and the ensuing search uncertainty followed just days after false alarms regarding active shooters at Villanova University and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Thursday, which incited fear and resulted in temporary lockdowns at both campuses as they began their fall terms.
