LEWISBURG, Pa. — The campus at Bucknell University in Lewisburg was placed on lockdown Friday evening amid reports of an active shooter. But after an investigation, officials said the whole thing was a hoax.
The University first sent out an alert about reports of an active shooter on campus around 6:30 p.m., advising students and faculty to shelter in place. The all clear was given about an hour later.
Newswatch 16's Jack Culkin spoke with students who sheltered in place for nearly an hour.
"I'm glad that here it was just a hoax, but it's something you just think is never going to happen to you, but it was kind of worrying that it was just on campus today." said Surrender Atukunda a Bucknell freshman.
It was a chaotic few hours for students after warnings were sent out from the campus's alert system telling students to shelter in place.
"The person there that was the oldest kind of brought us to the bathroom. We had to stay there it was locked, it was very scary, it was dark. I didn't really know what to do at first, I was like, is this a joke so I just stood in there" said Jaele Rivera, another student.
Rivera was with Eowyn Anderes inside the Elaine Langone Center when the message went out. Both took cover with other students.
"I just remember getting the text message and I couldn't really believe it because I was like, we only get those kinds of messages from drills and all that. But just seeing it and realizing that people were taking cover, it kind of like clicked in and I was like rushing and it was very scary." said Anderes.
Parents, like Paul Zanelli who came to the area for his son's lacrosse game, quickly rushed to the campus. While looking for his son, Zanelli was telling students outside to take cover.
Nearly an hour later, Bucknell announced the all-clear.
Zanelli says he's glad the University took the situation seriously.
His son took this picture of armed guards surrounding one of the University's buildings.
"I have to give Bucknell credit, Public Safety was all over this. State Police, counties town they were all here." said Zanelli.