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| University of Central Florida evacuated after explosives found near dead body | University of Central Florida evacuated after explosives found near dead body |
| (17 days later) | |
| Police found an assault rifle, a pistol and an explosive device at a Florida university as they investigated the apparent suicide of a student in college dormitory. | Police found an assault rifle, a pistol and an explosive device at a Florida university as they investigated the apparent suicide of a student in college dormitory. |
| About 500 students were evacuated from the University of Central Florida, Orlando, and classes were cancelled for the morning after the discovery early Monday. | About 500 students were evacuated from the University of Central Florida, Orlando, and classes were cancelled for the morning after the discovery early Monday. |
| Officials were alerted by a fire alarm from Tower 1 of the dormitory building at 12.20am, according to university spokesman Grant Heston. | Officials were alerted by a fire alarm from Tower 1 of the dormitory building at 12.20am, according to university spokesman Grant Heston. |
| As police attached to the university responded, another emergency call reported the sighting of a man with a gun. In a bedroom, officers found a man dead of what appeared to be self-inflicted gunshot wound, and discovered the pistol, rifle and an improvised explosive device nearby, according to Heston. | As police attached to the university responded, another emergency call reported the sighting of a man with a gun. In a bedroom, officers found a man dead of what appeared to be self-inflicted gunshot wound, and discovered the pistol, rifle and an improvised explosive device nearby, according to Heston. |
| University authorities spoke to witnesses and were able to confirm that the dead man was an enrolled student, although they did not immediately name him or give his age. Heston added that nothing was found in the room to indicate that he had any plan to use the weapons. | University authorities spoke to witnesses and were able to confirm that the dead man was an enrolled student, although they did not immediately name him or give his age. Heston added that nothing was found in the room to indicate that he had any plan to use the weapons. |
| The campus remained closed on Monday morning while UCF police and officers from the Orange County sheriff's department, including its bomb squad, made the building safe. A team of FBI investigators and a hazmat team were also on site. | The campus remained closed on Monday morning while UCF police and officers from the Orange County sheriff's department, including its bomb squad, made the building safe. A team of FBI investigators and a hazmat team were also on site. |
| "University police responded immediately when we received a fire alarm call and a subsequent 911 call," Richard Beary, chief of the UCF police department, said. "The safety of our students in Tower 1 and our entire campus community is our top priority." | "University police responded immediately when we received a fire alarm call and a subsequent 911 call," Richard Beary, chief of the UCF police department, said. "The safety of our students in Tower 1 and our entire campus community is our top priority." |
| Students and staff were told to stay away while the university opened its sports arena as a gathering point for those evacuated from the residence tower, with food and counsellors available. | Students and staff were told to stay away while the university opened its sports arena as a gathering point for those evacuated from the residence tower, with food and counsellors available. |
| Some residents of the evacuated tower said there was no announcement other than the fire alarm sounding, although they said police were already on the scene when they left the building. About two hours after the discovery of the body, students said, they received a text message from the university informing them of "a suspicious death" and that there was "no threat to the campus community". The message made no mention of weapons or explosives. | Some residents of the evacuated tower said there was no announcement other than the fire alarm sounding, although they said police were already on the scene when they left the building. About two hours after the discovery of the body, students said, they received a text message from the university informing them of "a suspicious death" and that there was "no threat to the campus community". The message made no mention of weapons or explosives. |
| "Usually if there's a bomb threat or anything we get a text, but there was nothing of the sort. Everyone in the apartment thought it was just a fire so we just grabbed whatever we could and ran downstairs," Hank Kleinberg, an English major, told campus newspaper the Central Florida Future. | "Usually if there's a bomb threat or anything we get a text, but there was nothing of the sort. Everyone in the apartment thought it was just a fire so we just grabbed whatever we could and ran downstairs," Hank Kleinberg, an English major, told campus newspaper the Central Florida Future. |
| "I am kind of glad they got me out of the building because I hear assault weapons, explosives … [I'm] a mix of relieved and frustrated." | "I am kind of glad they got me out of the building because I hear assault weapons, explosives … [I'm] a mix of relieved and frustrated." |
| With about 60,000 students, UCF is among the largest 10 universities in the US by enrolment numbers. Founded in 1963, its size has increased by almost half over the past decade. | With about 60,000 students, UCF is among the largest 10 universities in the US by enrolment numbers. Founded in 1963, its size has increased by almost half over the past decade. |
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