JONESBORO (AP) – Arkansas State University says an armed man who drove onto campus is now in custody.
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The 47-year-old was taken into custody Thursday after driving his truck onto the campus and triggering a lockdown.
The incident happened as students were taking final exams.
Police say Brad Bartlelt had a shotgun and containers of gasoline and propane when he drove a pickup truck into the middle of campus Thursday.
He added that as a precautionary measure, the university would increase the number of patrol officers on campus for the rest of the week, though “we have no indication of any further threats to the campus community”. No shots have been fired and no injuries are reported.
The incident began when a suspect “drove a pickup truck into center of campus” and the University police department issued a campus-wide text alert urging everyone to lock their doors and shelter in place. The school says the suspect is in police custody.
Arkansas State University is in Jonesboro, roughly 70 miles northwest of Memphis, Tennessee. No injuries have been reported.
“Our tactical people are getting themselves in a position to respond as well”, Holmes said.
Another tweet sent by Arkansas State at 1:48 p.m. said an individual with a weapon has been surrounded by police.
Hear an interview with KASU reporter Johnathan Reaves aired at 3:44 p.m.
A Jonesboro man is in the Craighead County Detention Center after a Thursday event that put the main campus of Arkansas State University in lockdown mode. He says no shots were fired.
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ASU spokesman Bill Smith said the man who had “brandished a weapon” was on the lawn of the Carl R. Reng Student Union and was surrounded by ASU police officers as well as police from surrounding law-enforcement agencies.
