JSU

Assault Rifle on Campus: Man With a Long Gun Near JSU's College of Liberal Arts Sparks Daylong Shelter-in-Place

Monday, February 12, 2024MSarmed personemergency notificationmedium confidence

Under Investigation

On February 12, 2024, Jackson State University issued a shelter-in-place order after a man with an assault rifle was reportedly seen near the College of Liberal Arts. Law enforcement from state, county, city, and campus levels patrolled campus throughout the day with lights flashing. The alert was eventually lifted after a campus sweep, but the armed individual was not immediately located.

Alerts: 3
Response: —
Killed: 0
Injured: 0

Institution

Jackson State University

Hbcu · MS

~7,000 studentsJSU Alert

Confirmed Timeline

Alert Sequence

3 messages in sequence

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 ALERTPushMorning of February 12, 2024, CST

Approximate reconstruction160 chars

JSU ALERT: Shelter in place. A man with an assault rifle has been reportedly seen near the College of Liberal Arts. Avoid the area and seek shelter immediately.

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

Reconstructed from WLBT and WDAM coverage; the alert instructed students to shelter in place after the armed individual was reported

The man was seen near the College of Liberal Arts building on JSU's campus

UPDATEPushJust after 12:45 PM CST on February 12, 2024

Approximate reconstruction170 chars

JSU UPDATE: The Department of Public Safety has conducted a campus sweep in response to additional reports of a trespassing male individual. Continue to exercise caution.

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

Reconstructed from WLBT coverage; officials announced the campus sweep just after 12:45 PM

Law enforcement from multiple agencies including state, county, city, and campus police were involved in the search

ALL CLEARPushAfternoon of February 12, 2024, CST

Approximate reconstruction202 chars

JSU ALL CLEAR: The shelter in place has been lifted. The campus sweep has been completed. There is no current threat to campus. Resume normal activities and report any suspicious activity to JSU Police.

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

Reconstructed from news coverage; the shelter-in-place lasted for much of the day

The armed individual was not located during the campus sweep, raising concerns among students about campus safety

Context

Background

On the morning of February 12, 2024, Jackson State University issued a shelter-in-place order after a man with an assault rifle was reportedly seen near the College of Liberal Arts on campus. Law enforcement from state, county, city, and campus levels were seen patrolling campus with their blue lights flashing for most of the day. Just after 12:45 PM, officials announced the JSU Department of Public Safety had conducted a campus sweep in response to additional reports of a trespassing male individual. Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade noted that being on campus with a firearm is against the law and that police wanted to determine if the individual was even allowed to possess a firearm. The incident prompted student demands for JSU to prioritize campus safety, with some students describing their immediate fear and frustration at the university's response.

Analysis

Key Findings

The shelter-in-place lasted for much of the day as multi-agency law enforcement searched for the armed individual

The man with the assault rifle was not immediately located despite the campus sweep

The incident prompted student calls for improved security measures at JSU

Outcome

No injuries or confrontation occurred. The armed individual was not immediately located despite an extensive campus sweep. The incident prompted student demands for improved campus safety measures.

Provenance

Alert Sequence

Background

Key Findings

Sources

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