Explosive devices removed from University of Central Florida
Associated Press | Updated: March 18, 2013 22:34 IST
Explosive devices removed from University of Central Florida
Orlando: Explosive devices found in a dorm at the University of Central
Florida have been safely removed from the building and classes have resumed.
University spokesman Grant Heston says normal operations resumed at the
campus around noon after the makeshift devices were taken away, but the dorm
was still closed.
The explosives were found by authorities investigating the apparent suicide
of a UCF student shortly after midnight. Hundreds of students were evacuated
from the dorm.
Heston says police were called after a fire alarm went off. While they were
on their way to the scene, a 911 call came in about a man with a gun.
Arriving officers found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted
gunshot wound inside a residence at the Tower 1 dorm.
University police were called to the dorm around 12:20 a.m. after a fire
alarm went off, UCF spokesman Grant Heston said. While they were on their
way to the scene, a 911 call came in about a man with a gun.
Arriving officers found a man dead from what appeared to be a self-inflicted
gunshot wound inside a residence at the Tower 1 dorm. Heston said the man
was a student at the university.
Heston said the dorm has suites, with a main kitchen and living area, along
with four bedrooms. The dead man was inside one of the rooms. Inside the
room, Heston said, police also found what they described as an assault
weapon, a handgun and incendiary devices. Florida law prohibits the
possession of guns on state university campuses.
"Obviously you never want somebody to commit suicide, but knowing what we
know about what was in his room, we feel better at least that no one else
was hurt," Heston said.
He said the Orange County Sheriff's Office and the FBI are helping with the
investigation. The sheriff's bomb squad was examining the explosive devices
Monday morning. Heston said they would remove the devices from the building
once it's safe to do so - which they hoped to be around noon.
About 500 students were evacuated from the dorm, and Heston said it would
remain closed until authorities give an all-clear on the building.
Morning classes were cancelled Monday but were to resume at noon, Heston
said. Flashing signs around the campus alerted students and staff about the
cancelled classes. Campus shuttle buses were lined up about a half-mile from
campus, with drivers standing by once the campus opens. The university's
main campus in Orlando has about 51,000 students.
Antonio Whitehead, 21, a junior from Hollywood, Fla., said he heard the fire
alarm go off after midnight and thought it was a routine alarm. He headed
outside where he saw a crowd already heading across the street from the
dorm.
"All of a sudden, I felt the crowd move a little faster. And a police
officer with a machine gun or something told everyone to start moving a lot
faster," he said.
Whitehead, who has lived in the dorm for two years, said the students were
moved to an open area about 1,000 feet from UCF Arena. The area is a busy
section of the campus, with restaurants and shops nearby.
Grant Hernandez, 20, a sophomore from Orlando who also is a resident at the
dorm, said he woke up sometime after midnight when police were evacuating
the building.
"We weren't allowed to get our cars. We weren't allowed to get our personal
effects," Hernandez said.
"All we saw were people running, and they were not telling us what was going
on," he added. "We were left unsure of things. It wasn't till about 6
o'clock that we got more information and a clearer picture of what was going
on." He said officers on the scene began providing more information, and
students checked updates on the university's website.
A statement there said the UCF Arena would open to accommodate displaced
students. Counselors would be available to talk to students who need
assistance.
The Tower 1 dorm is part of the school's popular Towers at Knight Plaza
apartment building complex, according to UCF's website. Tower 1 has seven
floors. The typical apartment layout has four bedroom and two bathrooms, the
website says. Heston said the student who died had three roommates.
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