Public Safety alert: "Gunman on campus"
Press Clubber reported 20 minutes ago that there were at least three helicopters flying overhead and at least one camera crew on the ground. Princeton has also made the front page of FoxNews.com.Earlier posts of the liveblog after the jump.
12:00 PMAccording to the Star-Ledger, the University confirms: "Everything has been resolved," Aronson said. "It was a toy gun."
11:58A second-hand account overheard on the Nassau Weekly listserv reports:
they found the "gun" in a trashcan outside, it was a green toy gun shaped like a handgun. The cops told me it was indeed THE gun in question
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:53The New Jersey State Police Twitter at 10:45:
Princeton University Police tell us that 4 juveniles were taken into custody with a toy gun by Pton Boro PD.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:51Initial thought: Public Safety's Emergency Notification System worked really well and was activated quickly (unlike the last time), but it appears the University made one small oversight--removing seniors off of the listserv, even though many are still on campus.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:48Our Frist correspondent reported at 11:35 via email she's been allowed to leave the Campus Center.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:38Press Clubber reports at 11:28:
I was searched coming into Frist, and just tried to slip out now but was stopped by an officer--all buildings are on lockdown. He said the Frist threat was in the Dillon/Edwards area but I guess the threat is not contained so no-one can move around.
Also, despite the "all clear," people are still not being allowed to leave Frist.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:36University's notice on its homepage, however, notes that there was no actual gunman on campus.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:35The Emergency Notification System has issued an "All Clear."Reporting from CNN states the gunman is in custody.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:34One student tip reports there are helicopters over 1937 Hall.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:30Numerous reports and correspondence on the "Tower-Talk" listserv have made clear that Princeton seniors have been taken off the University email list (including the emergency notification system).--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:26A report from one of our Press Club members states,
I'm still here [on campus]. Was literally about to walk outside when I got the call. From my window it seems that everyone else is going about like it's business as usual — a few students moving their things and a bunch of workers still deconstructing the reunions fences/tents. Haven't heard a siren, alarm or anything that sounds out of the ordinary.
Another member reports:
I'm still on campus packing up. I need to walk around and do finalerrands - what I've found out is:- no cars allowed in or out of campus for the past half hour- police cars outside of the top of dillon- apparently they have cordoned off the area where there is a threat.I was advised by an officer to stay down campusAnd was just searched walking into frist
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:20A student email to the Nassau Weekly listserv states, Public Safety "are patrolling dillon gym and edwards area right now... they cordoned off the dillon/edwards area."------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:16An update to the Princeton homepage, titled "EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION," reads as follows:
Shortly before 11 a.m., a suspect with a handgun was reported near the Dod Hall dormitory. Princeton University's Department of Public of Safety and Princeton Borough and Township police are investigating.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11:04The Princeton Alert system sent out an email with the following message:
There is a gunman on Princeton's campus. This is a real emergency. Public Safety will issue more instructions as information becomes available. Stay inside and be sure to check e-mail and the University's home page, www.princeton.edu.
We recommend you take the advice. Check back; we'll provide more information as it becomes available.