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UCLA shooting: 2 dead in apparent murder-suicide on campus UCLA murder-suicide shooting leaves two dead on campus
(about 1 hour later)
Two men are dead in an apparent murder-suicide shooting at the University of California, Los Angeles that sent students scrambling for safety, with some using their belts to lock doors. A gunman killed a man before turning the gun on himself in a murder-suicide that prompted thousands of students to barricade themselves in classrooms at the University of California, Los Angeles.
The campus was locked down after a gunman opened fire in an engineering building office shortly before 10am on Wednesday, triggering a citywide tactical alert by the LAPD. The shooter opened fire in an office in an engineering building just before 10am on Wednesday, triggering a campus lockdown and citywide tactical alert by police, who responded with helicopters, Swat teams and armored vehicles.
The gunman killed one man before turning the gun on himself, LAPD chief Charlie Beck told a news conference. The gunman killed the victim, then himself, Los Angeles police department chief Charlie Beck said during a news conference. “The method of suicide is gunshot wound. Many many questions are unanswered at this point ... there is evidence there that could be a suicide note.”
“The method of suicide is gunshot wound. Many many questions are unanswered at this point ... there is evidence there that could be a suicide note.” Authorities did not immediately identify the two dead men or cite a possible motive.
Beck said the campus was now safe but that in an abundance of caution police would continue combing the area. Hours after the incident, hundreds of law enforcers from the campus police, LAPD, FBI and Santa Monica continued to scour the area but the emergency was over, Beck said. “The campus is now safe.”
#LAPD News: Official statement regarding the incident at #UCLA. @UCPDLA @UCLABruinAlert @LAMayorsOffice pic.twitter.com/R9VuzQnSSB Andy Neiman, an LAPD spokesman, invoked mass shootings elsewhere to explain the massive response. “In this day and age … we would much rather respond in an abundance of caution.”
Police helicopters hovered as hundreds of law enforcers from campus police, the LAPD, FBI and ATF searched the campus. Earlier, paramedics and firefighters evacuated some people. Others had barricaded themselves in buildings across the campus. Josh Earnest, a White House spokesman, said Barack Obama was informed of the shooting aboard Air Force One, a sign of the alarm and political sensitivity over gun violence.
Helicopter news footage showed students filing out with hands raised over their heads. The campus alert sounded when students reported hearing gunshots in the Engineering IV building near Boelter Hall. A 911 call activated campus police, the force’s chief, James Herren, said at a news conference.
The campus newspaper the Daily Bruin tweeted that the shooter was wearing a black jacket and black pants. The newspaper’s site crashed from traffic overload. “We immediately put out a Bruin alert – that’s our campus alert notification system – to advise all of those in our campus community of an incident that occurred that could be dangerous to them. And we requested them to stay out of the area.”
“Using my belt to strap the locks on the door. This sucks,” tweeted an anthropology student, Carrie Rapaport. Students and staff hid and barricaded themselves in classrooms and offices. Some posted images on social media of doors secured with belts and makeshift barricades. “Using my belt to lock the door down,” tweeted Carrie Rapaport.
Using my belt to lock the door down. #UCLA #activeshooter pic.twitter.com/XIxm0uWIe3Using my belt to lock the door down. #UCLA #activeshooter pic.twitter.com/XIxm0uWIe3
Police investigating possible shooter at UCLA. Campus on lockdown. Watch UCLA Newsroom for updates. https://t.co/r6LoVO24Ig She chided those who ignored her tweet warning against phoning. “I said DO NOT CALL.”
#LAPD News UPDATE: #UCLA incident - Info on the active shooter in the Engineering Building #4. Avoid the area Many of those barricaded communicated with reporters and friends only via text in accordance with UCLA protocol advising against speaking on phones during certain emergencies.
More details to follow Helicopter news footage showed other students filing out, some running, with hands raised over their heads. Heavily armed police directed and searched them.
The campus newspaper the Daily Bruin tweeted that the shooter was wearing a black jacket and black pants. The newspaper’s site briefly crashed from traffic overload.
A law enforcement source told the Los Angeles Times that, based on the appearances of the deceased, police believed that a man young enough to be a student shot a professor, then turned the gun on himself.
University authorities lifted the lockdown at 12.05pm and cancelled classes for the rest of the day.