Shooting Puts University of Texas in Lock-Down
UPDATE [9/28/10 2:25 PM]: Police no longer believe a second suspect is involved.
UPDATE [9/28/10 11:05 AM]: Austin SWAT team members and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers are on the scene of the crime. Several witnesses said that the gunman was seen wearing a black ski mask. One student reported seeing the shooter near the Dobie Mall, smiling and waving the automatic weapon. There are still no reports of any injuries, aside from the gunman’s self-inflicted wounds. It is unclear if there is a second suspect, but the campus is still locked down.
Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo confirmed that one shooter is dead on the University of Texas’ Austin campus, but police are still looking for an additional suspect. Everyone is encouraged to stay away from the area, and the campus is under security lock-down. It is not known if the other suspect is armed.
Shots were heard at about 8:47 this morning. “The first report I got was that there was an armed suspect in the Perry-Casteneda library,” said university spokesperson Rhonda Weldon. “Now I’m told by campus security that the individual has shot himself…but I’m not there yet so I can’t confirm that.” A public affairs assistant, Alicia Deitrich, was down the street from the library. “I didn’t even know for sure that it was gunshots,” she said. “The sirens went off about five to ten minutes ago. The building has been locked down and I don’t think they’re letting anybody in or out.”
A facilities worker reported that he heard ten shots, but did not see anyone get hit. Other than the shooter, no other injuries have been reported.
Via statesman.com.