WECT TV6-WECT.com:News, weather & sports Wilmington, NC Lock down lifted at NC college campus, possible gunman never found

Lock down lifted at NC college campus, possible gunman never found

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By Chris Dyches - email

HICKORY, NC (WBTV) - A lock down has been lifted at a Hickory-area college after two campuses were locked down and evacuated after police say a possible gunman was spotted in the parking lot.

According to Hickory Police Chief Tom Adkins, the lock down has been lifted for two campuses of Catawba Valley Community College.  Both campuses were placed under a precautionary lock down Wednesday morning after a possible gunman was spotted on campus.

According to Catawba Valley Community College President Garrett D. Hinshaw, a female college employee was outside of East Campus along Highway 70 SE when she say a man with a handgun walking through the parking lot.

The incident reportedly happened around 9:20 a.m. Wednesday morning.

The man is described as a white male between 30 and 40 years of age with long blonde hair. The woman believed she saw the man holding a handgun as he walked toward the building.

The employee immediately called campus security, President Hinshaw told WBTV, who dispatched a Catawba County deputy assigned at CVCC.

After conducting an initial interview with the employee, the deputy contacted the Catawba County Sheriff and the City of Hickory to respond. The school was placed on lock down around 9:30 a.m. and the loud speaker notification and alarms indoors and outside throughout the East Campus were used.

The lockdown was communicated through web notification, text messaging and email blasts.

As a precaution the Main campuses was also placed on lock down after the report.

Police were called into the campus and conducted a methodical search of the East campus, which was completely evacuated by lunchtime on Wednesday. 

Just before 12:30 p.m., police told WBTV that they had cleared the East campus and shifted their focus on the school's main campus.

Students said it all happened very quickly.

"At first we thought it was a drill, then they told us it was real," said Ashley Costner, who was in art class when the lockdown happened.

SWAT officers and Hickory police officers then searched and evacuated CVCC's Main campus, as well.

Danielle Smith said she could see officers running down the hallways and could hear them yelling.

"It was scary," she told WBTV. 

SWAT teams went from room to room, checking every spot where someone could hide. As students were freed, group by group, officers watched closely as they left the building, trying to be sure that if there was a gunman, he could not escape with the crowd of students.

Challenger Early College High School is also placed on lock down, WBTV has learned. The school is part of CVCC's campus.

"Today we were reminded of the importance of being prepared for crisis situations," said President Hinshaw. "I want to commend law enforcement for their quick and effective response to a situation that could have been disastrous on our campus. We were able to secure and evacuate approximately 5,000 people without injury."

According to CVCC's website, all classes for the Main Campus and East Campus are closed and classes will resume on Thursday. Extra security is also said to be on hand when students return.

"The incident today showed the importance of continuing training in this area, and the cooperation with our law enforcement partners to respond to these types of calls," said Chief Adkins. "Members of Hickory Fire Dept., Catawba Co. EMS, and members of Catawba County STAR team also played key roles in the incident today. 

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