The campus of a liberal arts college in Maine was once put on lockdown early Saturday morning after a shot was once fired in a scholar housing advanced all the way through what one scholar referred to as an enormous annual birthday celebration.
Colby College stated no scholars have been harm all the way through an altercation that concerned a firearm being discharged on the Alfond Senior Apartments on the campus in Waterville, Maine.
No Colby scholars have been injured and the suspect was once no longer affiliated with the college, whilst the police have been proceeding to search for others concerned, the varsity stated in a observation.
Police didn’t understand coming near near threat to the campus neighborhood, however requested scholars to stick in position all over the night time out of an abundance of warning, the college stated.
Normal operations have been anticipated to renew within the morning and counseling services and products can be to be had for particular person and crew enhance on campus, the place group of workers equipped enhance to scholars all the way through the night time, the varsity stated.
An e-mail despatched to the coed frame by means of Interim Dean of the College Barbara Moore at 2:21 a.m., which was once shared by means of a scholar, stated the Waterville Police Department “have a person in custody who attended events there and fired a gun.”
“We urge you to shelter in place until we have additional information that the campus is entirely safe,” wrote Moore, who didn’t in an instant reply to an e-mail from The Associated Press.
The Waterville Police Department didn’t in an instant reply to a message from the AP looking for further information.
Landon Kissell, an 18-year-old freshman from Manhasset, New York, stated he left campus by means of automotive “just to play it 100% safe” about 5 mins after receiving a message concerning the incident at 1:49 a.m.
“We have an open campus so there is not any security to stop anyone from entering or leaving campus so I was able to just drive right out,” Kissell informed the AP in a social media direct message, including that he stayed in conversation together with his buddies on campus.
“It was more at first just a state of confusion where nobody understood what was going on. There were different rumors swirling immediately of what was actually happening,” he stated.
“There was definitely some scramble to find a secure location but since everyone was inside already due to the temperature that most people either stayed right where they were or went to the next building over and locked themselves there,” Kissell stated.
Alfond flats, the place the shot was once fired, was once the website of what Kissell described as “a massive party night” that takes position for approximately 24 hours once a year on St. Patrick’s Day. The vacation is on March 17 however the birthday celebration, referred to as “doghead,” was once moved up by means of per week this 12 months for the reason that vacation falls all the way through Colby’s spring wreck, he stated.
Kissell first realized of the lockdown from his dormitory resident assistant, who despatched a textual content to scholars within the Sturtevent place of dwelling corridor.
“Everyone was freaking out at first especially because nobody ever expected having to go into lockdown in little Waterville, Maine,” Kissell stated. “But since an official email was sent out by the school things have been better.”
Kissell didn’t to start with see the e-mail from Moore or any other from a scholar govt chief who informed scholars to stay in position.
“I never saw those emails until just now because who would think to check their email in a situation of panic right?” Kissell stated at 3:25 a.m. from his automotive within the state capital of Augusta, about 20 miles (32 km) south of the Colby campus. He was once taking into consideration whether or not to spend the remainder of the night time with buddies at Bates College in Lewiston, any other 34 miles (54 km) south of Augusta.
Colby, based in 1813, is the twelfth oldest liberal arts college within the U.S., in step with the varsity’s site.
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