Police searched Brookings Hall and nearby buildings after reports of an armed person. (Bri Nitsberg | Managing Photo Editor)

At 10:21 a.m., WashU Emergency Management sent an all-clear update to end an hour-long shelter in place following reports of an armed person on campus. The shelter in place began with a WashU alert at 9:19 a.m. urging students on campus to run, hide, and barricade themselves until further notice. 

According to an 11:30 a.m. email from WashU Police Department (WUPD) Chief Angela Coonce, WUPD “received multiple calls reporting an individual with a weapon on the Danforth Campus.” Coonce said WUPD now believes the reports “were not a credible threat.”

There was a heavy police presence near Brookings Hall and other Danforth Campus buildings as police carried out a search. Police from St. Louis, University City, and Clayton were on site, and a police helicopter circled above the area, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 

At 10:21 a.m., WashU Emergency Management sent the all-clear, meaning that the police had completed their search of the Danforth Campus and determined there was no active threat on campus. Coonce said the University had acted “out of an abundance of caution” during the search and that WUPD “will investigate and pursue charges against anyone who is found to be responsible” for false reports.

Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Anna “Dr. G” Gonzalez sent a message of support to the student body at 11:52 a.m., reminding students of resources like the Center for Counseling & Psychological Services and TimelyCare.

“I am thinking of you as we all process the incident,” Gonzalez wrote. “While WashU PD determined that the threat was not credible, I know that anxiety can linger.” 

This article was originally posted at 9:58 a.m. and was last updated at 12:33 p.m. This is a breaking news story and will continue to be updated with more information.