The University of Central Florida main campus is shut down as police investigate a suspicious death and improvised explosive devices found in the Tower 1 residence hall in Knights Plaza, UCF says.
UCF Police received a fire alarm call at about 12:20 a.m. While responding to that call, police received a 911 call regarding a man with a gun. When police arrived, they found a victim, who has been confirmed as a UCF student, who died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Tower 1, which houses around 500 students, was evacuated, and Parking Garage G was closed. Police entered the scene armed with assault rifles and as investigators reviewed the scene, they found a handgun, an assault weapon and IEDs (improvised explosive devices).
UCF has closed the main campus for classes and normal operations until at least noon, they school said. Essential personnel should report to work, but other employees are asked to stay off campus until noon. All classes scheduled to start before noon today are canceled.
Tower 1 from Knight News on Vimeo.
“University police responded immediately when we received a fire alarm call and a subsequent 911 call,” Police Chief Richard Beary said. “The safety of our students in Tower 1 and our entire campus community is our top priority.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI are assisting the UCF Police Department with the investigation. The Sheriff’s Office’s bomb squad is on campus to examine the IEDs found at the scene, UCF said.
Counseling services were set up at the Veteran’s Academic Resource Center at 7 a.m.
