Virginia Tech On Lockdown After Report of Gunman on Campus

Virginia Tech is currently on lockdown after a report of an armed, unidentified man on campus.

Scant information is currently available about the situation, but students have been advised to stay in their rooms and lock their doors as of 11am EST. Currently, the Virginia Tech website is displaying the following message:

(10:35 a.m.) See VT homepage or email for further information on possible person with weapon. People on campus stay indoors until further notice.

Update to VT Alerts

At 9:09 a.m. three juveniles attending a camp at the university reported seeing a white male, 6 feet tall, with light brown hair outside of New Residence Hall East holding what may have been a handgun. They say the weapon was covered by a cloth or covering of some sort. He was walking fast in the direction of the volleyball courts. He was wearing a blue and white striped shirt (stripes were vertical), gray shorts and brown sandals. The subject had no facial hair or glasses.

Officers responded immediately to the area but found no one matching the description. Police have encountered no other witnesses reporting this individual or anything suspicious. Law enforcement officers from VTPD, Blacksburg PD, Christiansburg PD, Virginia State Police, and Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office are patrolling the campus, continuing to look for the subject.

If anyone sees anything suspicious contact the VT Police Department at 231-6411 or 911

Campus individuals should remain indoors.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Bob McDonnell has released the following statement regarding the situation:

“Governor McDonnell is in constant contact with law enforcement officials. All state resources have been made available to assist Virginia Tech Police department and local law enforcement in the search for this man who was allegedly sighted on campus with a firearm. Of course, this report is a frightening reminder of the events that took place four years ago on the Tech campus. Virginia Tech has correctly taken all precautions to ensure the safety of students, faculty, staff and the Blacksburg community while law enforcement, Virginia Tech officials and the administration work diligently to ensure that this incident is investigated thoroughly.”

In 2007, 32 people were killed in a mass shooting at the school.