UPDATE: Utica College says that the lockdown has been lifted.
Photo taken at Utica College, courtesy of The Tangerine
Photo taken at Utica College, courtesy of The Tangerine
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UPDATE: Utica College says that the school remains on lockdown, and all buildings have been safely evacuated, with students and staff being sent to two "safe zones."
A notice posted to the college’s Facebook page says that law enforcement conducted a thorough search of all campus buildings and a secondary sweep of all the buildings is currently underway.
The full update from UC reads:
"The Utica College campus continues to be on lockdown. A thorough search of all campus buildings has been conducted. All buildings have been safely evacuated by law enforcement, and students, faculty, and staff were escorted to Strebel Student Center and Clark Athletic Center, both of which were declared "safe zones" by law enforcement. A secondary sweep of all buildings is under way. The Utica Police Department continues to work with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to investigate the threat.
Within the next half hour, faculty, staff, and non-residential students will be systematically released from campus. Remain where you are until you receive instruction from law enforcement. Residential students will be escorted back to their residence halls by law enforcement, and must remain there until the lockdown has been lifted. Again, the campus remains on lockdown. Individuals who leave campus will not be allowed to return until the lockdown has been lifted.
Please continue to follow updates distributed via the website, email, UC Alert, and the college's Facebook and Twitter."
The Utica Police Department will be holding a press conference regarding the situation at 4:45 p.m. We'll provide more information as it becomes available.
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UPDATE: The lockdown at Utica College continues as law enforcement officers are helping to evacuate people from campus buildings.
At 1:24 p.m., Utica College posted the following update:
“Armed police officers continue to evacuate campus buildings and escort individuals to safe locations. Please continue to shelter in place. There are no reports of any shots fired, injuries, or suspect in custody.”
Utica, New York Mills, New Hartford, Sauquoit, Notre Dame, Whitesboro and Westmoreland schools are all on precuationary lockouts due to the situation at Utica College.
Utica, New York Mills, New Hartford, Notre Dame and Westmoreland schools have also cancelled their after-school activities today. Sauquoit and Whitesboro schools have canceled all outdoor activities.
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UPDATE: Utica College and emergency officials are reporting that there is no confirmation of shots fired on campus, where local, state and federal law enforcement officials are on scene investigating a threat.
The latest message posted by Utica College states:
"There is no confirmation of any shots fired on campus, and there are no injuries reported. Law enforcement continues to investigate threat. Local, state, and federal law enforcement are on scene. Campus remains in lock down. Please follow all instruction from law enforcement."
Utica police say that around 11 a.m., Utica College received threats from an individual who said he was armed with a weapon.
"At this time there is no substantiation to any reports of an active shooter or shots fired on the campus,” Utica police said in a news release. “We will continue to investigate the incident and further follow up releases will be sent accordingly.”
The Utica Police Department is the lead agency investigating the incident.
Utica, New York Mills, New Hartford, Sauquoit and Whitesboro schools are all on precuationary lockouts due to the situation at Utica College.
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UPDATE: Utica College says that law enforcement will be evacuating school buildings and escorting people to a safe location.
A message posted to Utica College’s Twitter page said that people on campus should continue to shelter in place until they receive a UC Alert instruction to do otherwise. They’re also told to follow all instructions from law enforcement.
The most recent message posted says, “Armed uniformed officers will be clearing buildings as soon as possible. Comply with all law enforcement instructions. If you are sheltered in place, you will be evacuated and escorted to a safe location. Please stay where you are until directed by law enforcement.”
The Oneida County Department of Emergency Services posted on its Facebook page just after 12 p.m., “There is NO active shooter at Utica College. The police are currently investigating a threat but there was no active shooter.”
The Utica City School District and New York Mills Union Free School District are both under precautionary lockouts due to the Utica College Situation.
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UPDATE: Utica College sent out another message to students and staff telling them to shelter in place due to a “real, credible threat.”
The message, which was also posted to the Utica College Twitter page, reads:
“UC ALERT: Utica College is currently under a lock down due to a real, credible threat. Everyone on campus is to remain sheltered in place. Please get to a safe place and remain there until you are told the shelter in place direction has been lifted.”
The Oneida County Sheriff's Office been dispatched to the scene, in addition to Utica police and state police.
All schools within the Utica City School District are currently under a precautionary lockout as well, according to district officals.
UC ALERT: Utica College is currently under a lock down due to a real, credible threat. Everyone on campus is to remain sheltered in place. Please get to a safe place and remain there until you are told the shelter in place direction has been
lifted.— Utica College (@uticacollege) March 5, 2018
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UTICA – Utica College students and staff have received a message notifying them that the school is locking down due to a threat.
The message was sent out just after 11 a.m. and it stated, “UC has received a threat and is locking down. Please remain where you are and lock doors until further notice.”
The message was also posted to Utica College’s Twitter account.
The Utica Police Department was called to the school at 10:58 a.m., according to the Oneida County 911 Center. New York State Police have been dispatched as well.
We will provide more information as it becomes available.
UC ALERT: UC has received a threat and is Locking Down. Please remain where you are and lock doors until further notice.
— Utica College (@uticacollege) March 5, 2018





