WASHINGTON — There is no evidence that there was an active shooter at Howard University Tuesday after calls about a potential active shooter caused a campus-wide lockdown.
Howard University said it received multiple anonymous phone calls about “a potential shooter” at its College of Medicine in D.C. just before noon Tuesday. Also, D.C.’s 911 received a call reporting an active shooter at another location on campus, said D.C. Police Patrol Chief Lamar Greene.
The university and police took the treats seriously and told students and staff to shelter in place while they investigated. Officers routinely in place around campus said they didn’t hear any evidence of a shooting, but began started searching the buildings, said Howard University Interim Chief of Police Alonzo Joy.
About two hours after the initial threat, officials found there was “no evidence” of a shooter and lifted the shelter in place the university implemented, Joy said.
“We have found no evidence, no witnesses — nothing that supports it was a shooting on our campus at any location. But it does not stop here; our investigation is continuing,” Joy said at a news conference.
At least one building on campus was evacuated as a precaution.
Around 2 p.m., Howard University said all buildings on campus were cleared by authorities following a thorough sweep. No one was injured during the incident.
Tuesday’s events will not impact Howard University’s Homecoming celebrations planned for this week, Joy said.
“Howard University is going to have a Homecoming Week; we have already and will continue to plan a very safe event and we have those resources already in play to do that,” he said.
Police are investigating the calls about the threats and are looking into who may be responsible.
“You can imagine that there are going to be some serious repercussions when we identify whoever was engaged in this,” Joy said.
Below is a map with the area near Howard University’s campus:
