Indiana University shooting: IUPUI locked down after warning of man with gun on campus

INDIANAPOLIS - The IUPUI campus was on lockdown after reports of a man with a gun on campus, but campus police issued the "all clear" notice about 5 p.m. Monday.

"IUPUI Alert! Man with long gun seen in lot at Barnhill and Vermont. Seek shelter," a text alert sent by the school just before 1 p.m. read.

Indiana University Purdue University-Indianapolis police said a student walking to her car at 12:30 p.m. said she saw a white man in a long, brown coat possibly carrying a rifle or shotgun and standing by a green or gray sedan.

Police said a man matching the same description was later seen elsewhere on campus, but it's unclear how many reports came in to police.

"Since guns are banned from all IU campuses, unless you are taking them to be locked up by the PD while you are on campus, it is safe to assume one of two scenarios -- someone didn't know guns are banned on campus and carried a gun onto campus (or) someone did know guns are banned on campus and chose to carry one onto campus anyway," Jesse Scott Campbell, a security official for IUPUI, wrote in an update Tuesday afternoon.

Student Charlie Elliott described the scene to RTV6 via Twitter.

"We were in the nursing building, which is pretty close to Barnhill and Vermont …  They've just moved us into an 'interior room' inside the hospital," he wrote. "It's us and about 4 other classes all jammed in this room, the anxiety is beginning to grow. Police were well armed and we are locked in this room."

Professor Trevor Potts told RTV6 on the phone that the mood was tense on campus.

"Everyone's doing a very good job of staying calm and staying inside," he said. "I think this speaks to those who would argue for guns on campus, I think this is a rationale for why this is not a good idea, myself."

As the afternoon went on, many on campus disregarded the lockdown order and walked to their cars. Campbell said police are being thorough in their search.

"Every building is being actively searched, and that takes time. It is frustrating for everyone involved that the facts really haven't changed much after a few hours, but it is what it is," Campbell said. "The good news is that there are no reports anything awful, and we hope it stays that way."

Indiana University Health University Hospital and Riley Hospital for Children were also both locked down.