Ball State Alert Warns of Possible Armed Person
Police converged on the Ball State University campus Friday evening and began sweeping buildings amid reports that an armed person might be on the central Indiana campus.
The university issued an alert Friday evening saying a "possible armed assailant" was reported near the Muncie campus' Student Recreation and Wellness Center. The university urged students and staff in several buildings to secure themselves in a safe location until the area is cleared.
State Police Master Trooper Adam Fisher said the troopers are on campus about 60 miles northeast of Indianapolis helping clear buildings. Video from television helicopters showed police armed with assault rifles and shotguns on the scene and blocking an intersection.
Junior Adam Baumgartner of South Bend, editor of the campus newspaper the Ball State Daily News, said some parts of campus were locked down and students in the recreation and wellness center were being advised to stay away from windows and stay off Twitter so they don't give away their location.
He said police were releasing students from the center "in hordes."
Baumgartner said Ball State has been testing its alert system over the last week or two and is in the process of creating a plan to use the university's Twitter account to better distribute information in emergencies.
But he said many members of the newspaper staff learned about the incident on Twitter before they received the university's alert, which was sent about 4:40 p.m.
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