Campus Alert Archive
El Centro

A Professor and Five Students Trapped 100 Feet From a Gunman: El Centro College and the Dallas Police Ambush

TXactive shooteremergency notificationmedium confidence
Confirmed Threat

On July 7, 2016, gunman Micah Xavier Johnson ambushed police officers during a protest in downtown Dallas, killing five officers and wounding nine others. Johnson fled into El Centro College, where a professor and five students were trapped in a classroom for eight hours less than 100 feet from where the gunman made his last stand. The DCCCD emergency alert system experienced significant delays, with some notifications arriving two to three hours late.

Alerts
3
Response
—
Killed
5
Injured
11
Institution
El Centro College
Community College · TX
~10,000 studentsDCCCD Alert
Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence · 1 verified verbatim

Some alert texts below are approximate reconstructions from news coverage, not confirmed verbatim transcripts. Reconstructed texts are shown in italic with a dashed border. Verified verbatim texts have a solid border and are marked accordingly.

INITIAL ALERTSMS
Verified verbatimEt Cetera (Eastfield student newspaper) investigation of DCCCD Emergency Alert System messages198 chars
Proceed with others to the nearest room and barricade and/or lock yourselves in the room. Wait in place for further instructions from police. If you are not on campus, STAY AWAY for your own safety.
The DCCCD emergency alert system experienced significant delivery delays, with some students not receiving text notifications until two to three hours after the attack began at approximately 8:58 PM CDT on July 7, 2016
The 'STAY AWAY' instruction in all caps was the only emphasis used in the message — a deliberate signal that the campus had become unsafe for those still arriving
At least one student reportedly received her alert around 9:20 PM CDT, approximately when it was sent, while others received theirs much later
UPDATEEmail
Approximate reconstruction276 chars
DCCCD ALERT UPDATE: El Centro College remains on lockdown. Active law enforcement operation in progress. The situation involves an armed suspect who has barricaded inside the building. Do not approach the campus. All other DCCCD campuses are not affected. Updates will follow.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Professor Stephen Upham and five students were trapped in classroom B268 for eight hours, hearing an estimated 100 to 150 gunshots, unaware of the full scope of the attack outside
ALL CLEAREmail
Approximate reconstruction290 chars
DCCCD ALERT: The lockdown at El Centro College has been lifted. The armed suspect has been neutralized. All persons sheltering in place may now exit the building with assistance from law enforcement. El Centro College will be closed until further notice. Counseling resources are available.

This text has been reconstructed from news coverage and may not reflect the exact original wording.

Police killed Johnson using a bomb attached to a remote-controlled bomb disposal robot, the first time US law enforcement used a robot to kill a suspect
The trapped professor and students were not rescued until the early morning hours of July 8, 2016, despite being less than 100 feet from the final standoff location
Context

Background

The Dallas police ambush was the deadliest incident for US law enforcement since the September 11 attacks. Micah Xavier Johnson, a 25-year-old Army Reserve veteran, targeted white police officers at the end of a peaceful protest against police killings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. After the initial ambush on the streets, Johnson fled into El Centro College, a community college in downtown Dallas. An investigation by the Et Cetera student newspaper found that the DCCCD emergency alert system failed to deliver timely notifications, with average delivery times of 15 minutes for some and delays of two to three hours for others. Professor Stephen Upham and five students were trapped in classroom B268 for eight hours, hearing approximately 100 to 150 gunshots. The incident exposed how community college campuses in urban centers can become involuntary staging grounds during citywide emergencies.
Analysis

Key Findings

The DCCCD emergency alert system experienced delivery delays of two to three hours for some recipients, a critical failure during an active shooter situation
A professor and five students were trapped in a classroom for eight hours, less than 100 feet from the gunman's final standoff location
Police used a bomb-disposal robot to kill the suspect, the first time US law enforcement employed this tactic
Community colleges in urban downtowns are uniquely vulnerable to becoming involved in citywide emergencies beyond their control
Outcome
Five police officers were killed and nine officers plus two civilians were wounded. Johnson was killed by police using a bomb-disposal robot. No students or staff at El Centro College were physically harmed, though some were trapped on campus for over eight hours.
Provenance

Sources

  1. reference
    2016 shooting of Dallas police officers - Wikipedia
    en.wikipedia.org
  2. News
    El Centro professor, students trapped in classroom 8 hours while July 7 gunman makes last stand - WFAA
    wfaa.com
  3. Student Paper
    Late El Centro intruder alerts spur concerns - The Et Cetera
    eastfieldnews.com
  4. News
    Students, Faculty At El Centro College Barricaded In Classrooms During Intruder Lockdown - CBS Texas
    cbsnews.com
Tags
active-shootercommunity-collegepolice-ambushtexasdallasalert-system-failureurban-campusrobot-usedfatalities
Added April 2026Updated May 2026Via ingestion