FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) – Police said Monday afternoon they found no evidence of a shooting after reports of an active shooter prompted the University of Arkansas to send an alert.
As of 3:50 p.m. local time, Nexstar’s KNWA reports that police had not found any evidence of a shooter, but were still checking buildings on campus.
The University of Arkansas says classes have been canceled for the day.
During a news conference, officials said that both campus and Fayetteville police received calls of a reported active shooter at 12:30 p.m. They said no evidence of a shooting has been found, and therefore no arrests had been made.
“Since the original call, multiple calls at multiple locations around the university have come in,” Fayetteville police said in a statement.
The university’s alert advised everyone to avoid the area of Mullins Library, instructing people to “Avoid. Deny. Defend.”
Officers from multiple law enforcement organizations responded to the campus after the alert.
University of Arkansas junior Brock Boddie said he was on the third floor of Mullins Library when he heard people yelling and moving around. Moments later, he received a university alert about a possible active shooter.
Boddie said students were ushered into the Arkansas Union, where armed officers could be seen outside the library with guns drawn, ordering students to evacuate.
The alert also prompted the lockdown of local public schools, as well as a nearby Walmart store, KNWA reports.
The investigation comes days after an active shooter report at Villanova University sent panicked students running for shelter Thursday. In that case, the report was a “cruel hoax,” according to the school’s president.
This is a developing story and will be updated.