University of South Carolina declared clear amid unconfirmed active shooter report

An active shooter was reported at the Thomas Cooper Library in the University of South Carolina’s Columbia campus Sunday afternoon, according to an alert issued by the university.

The alert was sent to the university community through the public address system at 6:40 p.m. local time.

The suspect is described as a white male, approximately six feet tall, wearing black pants. Authorities believe he may still be in the area, though it remains unclear if any shots were actually fired.

large police presence was seen in and around the campus, which is located in downtown Columbia, just south of the Congaree River.

As per the latest alert, the university said “ALL CLEAR. ALL CLEAR. There is no ongoing emergency at this time; you no longer need to shelter in place. The Thomas Cooper Library building remains closed until further notice. Public safety officials are on the scene. Obey public safety officials’ commands.”

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With inputs from agencies