USF Bulls Radio

While university officials have given the all clear, the Tampa campus at the University of South Florida remains eerily quiet during the aftermath of a reported gunman on campus.

This afternoon the University of South Florida in Tampa was on lock down as university police searched for a possible gunman on campus. Shortly after 1:30 p.m., an off-campus phone call was transfered to the university police department at USF. The caller reported that he had seen a man with a gun by the library on campus. Officers responded at 1:43 p.m. by conducting a search of the library and the surrounding areas for the possible gunman.

At 2:30 p.m. officers responded to another related threat at the Bull Runner bus depot near the Parking Services building on Holly Drive. One unidentified suspect was detained at the scene. Eyewitnesses report that the suspect jumped on top of a bus and told officers that he was the man behind the threat. After he had been taken into custody he claimed that the threat was a "hoax," according to a TBO report.

Meanwhile, another campus-wide text message alert was released regarding a suspicious white male wearing carrying a "black puppy and a large hunting knife" near Cooper Hall. This suspect was detained, but officers eventually released the suspect who had just returned from a hunting trip.

Around 3 p.m., the Tampa Police Department Bomb Team sent a bomb-sniffing robot to the bus depot on Holly Drive and would later detonate the first suspect's backpack. Initial reports still have not indicated if the original threat was a legitimate one.

In an inter-department e-mail, USF President Judy Genshaft extolled the efforts of campus police, as well as students, faculty and staff, during the eventful afternoon.

“Your actions were prompt and effective," Genshaft said. "Everybody acted appropriately."