The university said on Twitter at 1:35 p.m. that a possible active shooter had been spotted at the student union and that students should evacuate the building.
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The Jonesboro Sun reported police as saying the suspect was armed with a shotgun and had two propane tanks in the back of the pickup truck. “I’m proud of everyone and grateful that no one was injured”, he said.
“Our guys are going to make sure the truck is safe before it’s moved”, Jonesboro Police Department spokesman Paul Holmes told The Arkansas Democrat Gazette.
Police visited Bartelt on Wednesday after he made a long Facebook post claiming he was suicidal and homicidal.
The campus sounded an alarm that made students scurry, but the Jonesboro police chief said it seemed Brad Bartelt posed a greater threat to himself during Thursday’s incident.
The university’s provost said all remaining exams Thursday have been postponed to Wednesday, December 16.
Chancellor Tim Hudson said during a 5 p.m. news conference that “there is no continuing danger” at Arkansas State University after a gunman drove a truck onto a lawn near the university’s student union Thursday afternoon. Officers said Bartelt was already seeking medical attention, according a police report. University Police Chief Randy Martin praised the fast response and the cooperation of numerous outside agencies that assisted in the response, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Arkansas State Police Bomb Squad, and the Craighead County Sheriff’s Department.
A spokesman said that the man drove onto campus and crashed his vehicle into a barrier. No injuries have been reported.
As of 2:30 p.m. local time, police say negotiators are still trying to talk to the man and the situation is still evolving.
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ASU is located about 130 miles northeast of Little Rock.
