Suspect charged with criminal threat after active shooter report at Kansas college
A suspect has been arrested and charged with making an aggravated criminal threat after an active shooter was reported at a small southwestern Kansas community college, the school’s police department said in a news release.
A call about 8 a.m. Thursday alerted the Garden City Community College Police Department to a possible armed intruder in the college’s Saffell Library, police said in the news release.
The campus was placed in lockdown and employees and students were told to shelter in place or evacuate the campus if they could. The college, about six hours west of Kansas City, counts about 1,920 students, according to the Kansas Board of Regents.
Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies swarmed the campus. After hours of searching, no armed person or victims were found.
Earlier Thursday, Erinn Reyes, a spokesperson for the Garden City Police Department, said police suspected the report might have been an instance of swatting: a hoax call made to elicit a police response.
“No threats to the students, staff, or campus were discovered, however, a suspect has been arrested and charged with aggravated criminal threat,” the college’s police department said in the news release. “There were no injuries during the event.”
The college was released from its lock down and classes and business operations were dismissed for the day.
During the initial response to the possible active shooter, schools and day cares were placed in lockdown as a precaution.
Other agencies that responded to the call included the Finney County Sherrif’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, Finney County Emergency Management, Garden City Fire Department and Emergency Medical Service and state and federal officials
The college was offering counseling services for those who needed them. Normal operations were expected to resume Friday morning.
