CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Update: Chattanooga Police Chief David Roddy said the man spotted with a rifle near the UTC campus Wednesday was an off-duty officer at the end of their shift heading home.
Roddy said the incident was a misunderstanding, but police responded with an abundance of caution working with UTC campus police.
Original story:
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga sent an alert to students that there is a white male with blonde hair carrying a rifle walking toward campus, according to NBC affiliate WRCBtv.
Another alert posted on the UTC website said the person was wearing a tactical vest.
Chattanooga Police Department spokesman Trevor Tomas said that CPD officers and UTC officers were in the area and talking with the reporting party.
UTC updated its website to state the focus of the investigation of a suspicious person has now been centered on Fletcher hall. The building was evacuated while officers searched it.
Campus is not on lockdown, UTC said on its website.
Channel 3 in Chattanooga has a crew en route.
This is a developing story. Details are limited.
