UPDATE: Utica College lockdown has been lifted

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."

Posted: Mar 5, 2018 11:20 AM
Updated: Mar 5, 2018 7:06 PM

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

_______________________________

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.

_______________________________

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.

_______________________________

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.

_______________________________

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.

_______________________________

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. 


_______________________________

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.

New York Coronavirus Cases

County data is updated nightly.

Confirmed Cases: 471696

Reported Deaths: 33290
CountyConfirmedDeaths
Queens738897276
Kings711997347
Bronx536914966
Nassau477362204
Suffolk472852016
Westchester387711460
New York342173182
Rockland16599679
Richmond163241088
Orange12748500
Erie11998706
Monroe6349300
Dutchess5233161
Onondaga4693207
Albany3268135
Oneida2512128
Ulster234995
Broome231483
Niagara1872101
Putnam167363
Sullivan164348
Schenectady144548
Saratoga113917
Rensselaer96442
Chemung8883
Chautauqua66813
Steuben63257
Columbia61537
Oswego5424
Ontario51135
Madison50917
Tompkins4730
Warren42933
Greene37718
Genesee3585
Otsego3575
Wayne3575
Herkimer35510
Fulton35224
Cattaraugus3436
Orleans34354
St. Lawrence3424
Tioga31925
Washington31714
Cortland2770
Chenango2687
Montgomery2444
Cayuga2402
Livingston2198
Jefferson1800
Clinton1785
Essex1770
Wyoming1505
Delaware1447
Allegany1411
Seneca1143
Schoharie900
Franklin710
Yates707
Schuyler660
Lewis540
Hamilton150
Unassigned020
Utica
Clear
65° wxIcon
Hi: 78° Lo: 42°
Feels Like: 65°
Oneonta
Clear
66° wxIcon
Hi: 74° Lo: 42°
Feels Like: 66°
Herkimer
Clear
65° wxIcon
Hi: 78° Lo: 42°
Feels Like: 65°
Thendara
Clear
65° wxIcon
Hi: 67° Lo: 36°
Feels Like: 65°
WKTV Radar
WKTV Temperatures
WKTV Severe Weather
Click here to learn more about A Healthier Mohawk Valley
Saluting Those Who Are Proud 2 Serve
WKTV Golf Card - Under 150 left