The Chapman University campus in Orange, California, was cleared of any threat Tuesday night after a man in a red, yellow and orange sweater was seen with a handgun, prompting evacuations, the university said.
"Chapman University is relieved that, in the wake of a reported possible gunman on campus, and a thorough investigation and search by Orange Police Department and campus Public Safety, no threat was found. After an hour-long search with no suspect found, the law enforcement agencies declared that the campus could resume normal operations," the university said.
Students of the Orange County campus were told to shelter-in-place in certain areas and evacuate in general areas after the "possibly armed man" was spotted near campus, the department of public safety said.
The Orange Police Department searched the campus and it was deemed safe.
Students in DeMille Hall were initially asked to shelter in place, and students elsewhere on campus were told they did not need to evacuate.
The university also noted that if any students were in another building on campus, they should shelter in place.
Sabrina Santoro, a student, said she was in the middle of her math final.
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"We were in our classes. Everyone's phones started going off and buzzing," Santoro told NBC4.
A suspect description provided by the university said he had short black hair, was 25 to 30 years old, 5-feet 10-inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds.
He was last seen wearing "red, yellow, and orange sweater" and possibly holding a handgun in his left hand.
About an hour after the initial report, the university said there was no threat, and campus could go back to normal.
Chapman University is located at 1 University Drive in the city of Orange.
