The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
LOCK DOWN LIFTED
Students told to shelter in place for hours while law enforcement searched campus
A “real, credible threat” Monday morning sent Utica College into lock down.
Cars lined Burrstone and Old Burrstone roads as parents, friends, family and onlookers showed up, hoping to find out anything involving the students and faculty inside. Some people parked alongside Champlin Avenue and recorded the police on their phones as they moved through the college campus.
After six hours of evacuations and searches, the lock down finally lifted shortly at 5 p.m., though the college said police would remain present through- out the night on campus.
“All buildings have been safely evacuated by law enforcement. Students, faculty and staff were escorted to Strebel Student Center and Clark Athletic Center, both of which were declared ‘safe zones’ by law enforcement,” authorities said.
According to police, an individual who claimed they were armed threatened the college Monday morning, a threat the college described as “a real,
“At this time there is no substantiation to any reports of an active shooter or shots fired on the campus.”
— Utica Police Department spokesperson
credible threat.” Students were instructed to “please get to a safe place and remain there until you are told the shelter in place direction has been lifted.”
Dr. Clem Harris, a professor of African-American and African history at Utica College, arrived shortly after the campus went into lock down and found himself receiving a number of conf licting reports from people and social media.
“I think that in times like this, when folks are very afraid, they communicate often information that is undeveloped,” Harris said. “It’s a reflection of the fear they’re experiencing and it’s important for folks to not over react.”
Maria Brancaccio, whose daughter Khiara Aceto, 21, is a student at the college, said her daughter texted her to tell her she loved her after the lock down went into effect. Brancaccio said she began receiving text messages from her daughter shortly after 11 a.m. and that Aceto was barricaded in the Gordon Building with 20 other students.
Aceto also texted her mother around noon to say that a SWAT team showed up and shots were fired, though there is no confirmation from law enforce- ment or college officials about a shooting taking place.
“At this time there is no substantiation to any reports of an active shooter or shots fired on the campus,” said a spokesperson for the Utica Police Department.
Dispatch Sports Editor JohnBrewerwas onhisway to work when he got a text fromhis sister that the campus was on lock down and she was hiding in a utility closet.
“I turned around and came back down to the campus and have been texting with her,” Brewer said. “And it’s like ‘Do I even want to text her?’” He said he found himself hesitating in case her phone wasn’t on vibrate and the sound would alert any would-be attacker.
Willjavian Dawson, 29, was working at Mohawk Valley Community College when he got a text from his friend. Niasha Dennis, 22, an occupational therapy major, was hiding in a closet in one of the buildings. She had bad reception, so she wasn’t able to send out a lot of messages.
“She sent me a message earlier and said the cops are coming to escort them to the cafeteria,” Dawson said. “I just talked with her now and she said every- thing’s fine, she’s good and she just wants to leave.”
Authorities guided students out of their classrooms and hiding spots, through the campus grounds and to the Strebel Dining Commons before they could be sent home.
“We urge the family and friends of those affected on campus to please be patient at this time, and we will continue to provide updates as timely as we can,” the Utica police said.
State police, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office and Utica City Police were dispatched to the campus.
Around 5 p.m., Utica College said in a tweet that all residential students could return to their residence halls, and commuters, faculty and staff could collect their belongings.