UCF Cancels Classes After Death, Explosive Found
Hundreds of students have been evacuated from a dorm on the University of Central Florida campus in Orlando after explosives devices were found while authorities were investigating a death.
Police were called to Tower 1 early Monday after a fire alarm went off. Arriving officers found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police told local TV stations they found an assault weapon and improvised explosive devices on the scene.
About 500 students were evacuated from the dorm and a parking garage was closed.
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Authorities say a student shot himself on the campus of the University of Central Florida overnight.
About 500 UCF students were evacuated from the Tower 1 dorm around 1 a.m.
UCF police said they recieved a fire alarm call around 12:20 a.m. While responding to that call, police received a 911 call regarding a man with a gun. When officers showed up, they found a man with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. An assault-type weapon was also found.
“It was 12:00 and I was doing homework. The alarm went off and I figured it was too late to be a drill so we just got up and left,” said student Jason Smith.
Improvised explosive devices were also found. Parking Garage G was also evacuated.The Orange County Bomb Squad has been called out to investigate the devices.
“It’s scary. Obviously, it’s in the news and stuff with all the school shootings but there’s not much you can do about it. Obviously they took precautions and emptied out the whole building,” said student Ryan Elkin.
West Plaza and Victory Way are being blocked off due to the investigation.
“University police responded immediately when we received a fire alarm call and a subsequent 911 call,” Police Chief Richard Beary said. “The safety of our students in Tower 1 and our entire campus community is our top priority.”