Police in Tampa and campus security are actively searching for a gunman who was spotted near the health buildings of the University of South Florida, reports WFTS.
This is a breaking story so please stay tuned for updates.
Here’s what we know so far…
1. Students were sent text alerts by the school warning them about the intruder. The text read:
Armed intruder near USF Health (MDC)area. Remain alert. Avoid area. Follow police instructions.
@MyFoxTampaBay Took some extra precautions before the automatic locks kicked in. #USF pic.twitter.com/4T29gA1G24
— Lindsay Bock (@bockrocks22) September 20, 2013
2. The intruder is reported to have last been seen in the campus’ health building. The gunman is reported to have jumped the fence between the Tampa headquarters of Shriners Children’s Hospital and the Moffitt Cancer Center both of which are associate with the USF health program.
Evacuated members of the College of Nursing wait outside as police search the building. pic.twitter.com/5btOVL2mgI
— The Oracle (@USFOracle) September 20, 2013
3. Tweets from the ground tell us police are telling students to avoid certain areas of the campus.
Four University Police units turn into Shriner's parking lot. Pedestrians are asked not to walk north of the area.
— The Oracle (@USFOracle) September 20, 2013
The campus newspaper, The Oracle, is now reporting via their Twitter account that the nursing building has reopened.
4. A massive police operation including a helicopter are searching the college. A brief description of the man was reported by Fox Tampa:
The man was only described as black, short with a lean build, and wearing blue shirt and khaki shorts.The man was only described as black, short with a lean build, and wearing blue shirt and khaki shorts.
Nayantara Orekondy, third year med student who waits with evacuated: My class was with patients when asked to vacate pic.twitter.com/5QFoxkr6hY
— The Oracle (@USFOracle) September 20, 2013
5. More than 400 people work at the health center on the campus.
Jk the shooter cancelled my exam.
— Samantha Murphy (@sammmmurphy) September 20, 2013