The report of an active shooter Thursday at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga turned out to be fake, authorities said after lockdowns were lifted for the campus, government buildings and downtown businesses.
Students were evacuated from classrooms and buildings during the first week of the semester as law enforcement swept campus in response to a call reporting a shooter.
The university gave the all clear and lifted its lockdown at 1:51 p.m., saying law enforcement found no evidence of a threat. Students at that time were starting to walk back into buildings.
Authorities are investigating the fraudulent call in a joint effort with campus and Chattanooga police, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sean O'Brien, the campus police chief, said at a press conference.
O'Brien said that no individuals were detained and no one had been injured.
Erlanger hospital also received a call reporting a shooting, Chattanooga Police Chief John Chambers said, but at the time of the press conference, it was also determined to have been unfounded and is being investigated.
Even though other similar hoax calls were made in years past, like at
Chattanooga State Community College last year, Chambers said the Chattanooga Police Department's initial response will always be the same.
"We can never assume that something is fake," he said. "Our job is to preserve life. That is our No. 1 goal and our focus, and that is all we're focused on."
Officers arrived on the scene, evacuated and searched buildings, and they also factored in all the information they were receiving from the 911 calls and students and faculty being evacuated, he said.
All classes and activities were canceled for the rest of the day, the university said, and students and nonessential employees were permitted to leave campus for the day.
At the press conference, Lori Mann Bruce, the new university chancellor, thanked students, staff and faculty for their calm, measured responses while evacuating. She said the counseling center will be available for anyone experiencing anxiety or distress.
WHAT HAPPENED?
The university's first message warning of a potential active shooter at the campus' university center or library came at 12:42 p.m. Thursday.
The Hamilton County emergency alert system followed up at 12:50 p.m.
"Attention!" it said. "UTC Campus is in current LOCK DOWN. Please avoid the UTC Campus until further notice!"
On the Hamilton County public safety scanner, law enforcement said that it had cleared Fletcher Hall, the new library and University Center.
At 1:02 p.m., the Chattanooga Police Department said on social media that it was working with the campus police to confirm a shots fired report that was called in. At that time, authorities had not located any victims.
As of 1:41 p.m., the university said no threat had been identified. Law enforcement was completing a search of the campus.
While police searched the buildings, students, staff and faculty huddled together in groups on sidewalks and in parking lots, talking on their phones.
UTC students described receiving the warning text while in class and sprinting out of Fletcher Hall.
"In two seconds, the whole classroom evacuated," senior Luke Robbins said. "Run outside, there's cops with ARs in the hallways, and they're like, 'Hey, go up this way,' so we get out. Run across the street. There's even more cops telling us to go. I mean, it was just hectic. It's crazy."
Student Landon Covich was working on homework when he got the text. Law enforcement directed him to a parking lot once he left the building, he said.
"It's definitely strange," he said. "Heart's definitely beating a little bit faster than usual. You never think it's going to happen and then it just does. It's definitely scary for sure."
Staff writers Shannon Coan and Ben Benton contributed to this report
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