A “dangerous subject” was arrested on American University’s campus, according to an AU alert sent out Saturday evening.
At 6:12 p.m., community members received an AU alert via email that a “dangerous subject [is] on or near campus.” The alert advised that community members outside “leave campus immediately. If inside, hide in a secure location, lock doors, avoid windows.” A second alert with the same message was issued via email at 6:25 p.m.
University Vice President, Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer Bronté Burleigh-Jones emailed the community an official statement about the incident at 9:08 p.m.
Witnesses reported on social media seeing a man on an AU shuttle bus threatening riders and possessing a firearm.
In the email, Burleigh-Jones confirmed that the subject was reported around 5:45 p.m. by students to an AUPD officer after the subject “brandished a weapon in their direction” on an AU shuttle in Ward Circle. She wrote that AUPD then “observed a subject off campus matching the description” students gave before the subject began walking toward campus, which caused AUPD to issue the shelter-in-place order.
No injuries were reported by the University.
The subject was arrested by the Metropolitan Police Department outside of the School of International Service at the intersection of Nebraska Avenue and New Mexico Avenue, according to a witness video and Burleigh-Jones’ email. A final AU alert distributed via email at 6:37 p.m. announced that the subject had been taken into custody and gave the all-clear.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
This article was edited by Kathryn Squyres, Tyler Davis and Abigail Turner. Copy editing done by Luna Jinks and Sarah Clayton.
