MIAMI SHORES, FLA. (WSVN) - A South Florida university was flooded with panic after reports of a gunman on campus, but police would later determine the sound of popping balloons was mistaken for the pop of a gun.
Sirens blared across the campus of Barry University in Miami Shores, Thursday night, as messages went out to students.
After 7:30 p.m., an alert from the university went out saying, “An armed assailant is on campus. Take necessary and appropriate action. Run, hide, fight. Further information to follow.”
University officials said staff members began locking down buildings and moving students to secure locations while they waited for police.
“Everyone was like, ‘Keep the doors locked, make sure nobody leaves this area,'” said a student with glasses. “It was a very jarring situation.”
“I got a call saying, ‘Don’t come to Barry University because there’s an active shooter,'” said another student.
It turned out not to be true, but video captured what it sounded and looked like before 8 p.m., on the campus.
Miami Shores Police could be seen clearing students from the Barry University library, Thursday night, after reports of someone with a gun on campus.
Within a few minutes, and with multiple police officers near Barry’s on-campus housing, university officials sent 7News an email saying, “Reports of a shooter and active assailant on Barry University’s campus this evening are false. Balloons popping from an event in Thompson Hall led to the false alarm. There is no threat to campus.”
“After we got the phone call, they sent another email saying that everything was clear,” said a student.
Police determined there was no threat and confirmed the sound was from popping balloons.
After the all clear was given, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded, but they left soon after, possibly because there were no injuries.
Back in August, Miami Shores Police trained students and staff for an active shooter situation.
The police department released a statement on Friday that reads in part, “It was determined that Barry University staff did exactly what they had been instructed to do.”
Police said the students and staff’s swift action allowed officers to quickly sweep the campus and determine there was no real threat.
Barry University later reopened, and the campus returned to normal on Friday.
The university released a statement that reads in part, “There was a false alarm of an active assailant on Barry University’s campus Thursday night. Students present heard what they thought to be gunfire in their vicinity and acted appropriately, and as we train to do, by calling 911 and notifying campus Public Safety. During this time, law enforcement took all appropriate action by conducting an initial search and then a secondary search to ensure there was no assailant on campus and to ensure the safety of all. It was determined the initial report of gunfire was actually balloons popping. Thankfully, it turned out to be a false alarm, and no one was hurt.”
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