UC leaders praise response to campus shooting
A gunshot prompted a manhunt on the University of Cincinnati's campus Monday night. University and city police to responded together while a shelter-in-place alert was sent to students and faculty.
The UC police department is now interviewing suspects, according to a release from the public safety department sent Tuesday afternoon.
Tuesday's release said investigators recovered marijuana near the scene, which they believe is connected to the incident.
UC Director of Public Safety James Whalen said that suspect likely fled through campus. Police were given tips that the suspect may have run into Siddall Hall and Tangeman University Center.
"Both of those buildings were searched and we found no evidence that the person was there or was ever there," Whalen said.
University officials addressed the incident at Tuesday morning's Board of Trustees meeting.
“Last night’s events were quite a shock to those of us on campus at the time,” said Mitchell Phelps, undergraduate student body president. “Our response teams were prompt and kept our campus calm.”
He thanked the UC police department and public safety for their efforts in keeping the campus community safe and informed on behalf of the entire student body.
University administrators, including interim President Beverly Davenport and Vice President for Public Safety and Reform Robin Engel, also addressed the incident, thanking officers for their response.
Engel said when there is potential for danger the majority of people shelter in place as they’re told, but "a handful of the brave ones" go out after the potential harm, which is sometimes forgotten.
“We are often so critical. We want officers to get it right and that’s very important,” Engel said. “But we also have to recognize the difficulties in the job that they face every day and be so thankful that they do that job to provide us with that safety.”
UC public safety officials said their response was standard operating procedure for a threat of that type on campus.
Cincinnati police surrounded UC's campus, shutting down both Calhoun and McMillian streets, while K-9 units were deployed to search for a suspect. Students not already on the campus were blocked from entering.
During the search, customers were unable to leave nearby stores and restaurants. Students were blocked from returning to their residences at University Park Apartments.
Whalen said two people were talking near Dabney Hall, located just east of Fifth Third Arena on the west campus, when one of them produced a gun, fired once, but missed. No one was injured. The incident took place just after 8 p.m.
UC students Corey Carter and Shawn Spriggs stood on Calhoun Street waiting for police to reopen campus. They said the alert was normal because shootings sometimes happen around campus, but admitted that the incident being on campus was different.
More students echoed that belief, but noted that the heightened police presence was not something that usually followed the text alerts they receive.
Whalen said the intended victim of the shooting has been identified by police and will be interviewed by investigators. Whalen could not say if either of the individuals were students at the university.
Officials will also review footage from campus cameras to see if the suspect was caught on tape.
UCPD and CPD received no credible information that the suspect remained on campus and the shelter in place was lifted.
"Business is back to normal on campus," Whalen said. "Everyone is safe. No one was injured."
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